Tuureamindo
by phoenix catcher
Summary: Sequel to The Nuuruhuine. SLASH. OMC/multiple OMCs. More than a thousand years after the War of the One Ring someone is stirring up trouble and accidentally caught in the middle are two orphans from Osgiliath with a tie to the world they'd never guessed.
1. Betrayal

Tuureamindo

Disclaimer; I don't own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings and I make no money from writing or posting this story. My only gain is knowing that people will enjoy reading this. I apologise for any accidental similarities between this story and any previous concepts.

**Warnings; This story is SLASH. That means sexual and romantic situations between two men. It also contains what amounts to BLOOD PLAY but lets be honest this story is about Vampires. There is DEATH and COMBAT in spades which are described in exactly the same detail as everything else in this story. Lastly this story is a crossover between Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings but the focus is not on previous characters but on a pair of OCs. There are many OCs in this story.**

**So to summarise, SLASH with graphic scenes clearly labelled, BLOOD PLAY, COMBAT, DEATH and OC-centric.**

A/N; Now that that's all done with I hope you enjoy this story. It's a SEQUEL to The Nuuruhuine so if you haven't watched that you need to do so first however I believe it might be possible to read this story alone. Without further chatting I'd like you to scroll down and enjoy the first chapter of Tuureamindo.

Chapter 1; Betrayal

**Of the Fourth Age; 1089**

More than a millennium since the final death of the nigh immortal Nacraemeus the world stood higher than it had ever done so. Peace was still hard to attain throughout the entirety of Middle-Earth but the Kingdoms of the West, the allied nations of Gondor, Rohan, Morchaint, Mirkwood and the Lonely Mountain, lived in almost complete peace with one another, creating an almost utopia where poverty was always something to work to be rid of. The Kingdoms of the West had their own individual Kings and Councils but a combined Council, the Morchaint Council, spoke for them all and had done so for the last thousand years since the immortal Duke Corvil had defeated Nacraemeus and stepped aside along with his ancient friends to let the younger generations govern themselves.

Then the Nuuruhuine had vanished. They had disappeared completely from the face of Middle Earth and while there were many rumours over where they had gone nobody actually knew. It was widely believed that they had either found a way to follow Gandalf the White and the Elvin ancients into the western oceans to live in eternal peace or that they had once again trapped themselves away in sleep so that they were not an unhealthy influence on the goals of younger beings. Many a search for their sleeping forms had taken place over the centuries, firstly just because people felt obliged to honour them in their sleep, then for the fame of finding them and more recently for the treasures that were rumoured to have been buried with them.

Nobody knew the truth and over the centuries as the world coped without them, less and less people were worried about discovering the truth. Only people that thought they could gain something from them but even those people were wary about acting on it since all could guess at the power that a three thousand year old Lamia might hold, let alone twenty of them. That in truth was the reason the Nuuruhuine had left the world. What civilisation could ever truly thrive if it had the temptation to rely on powerful beings such as they?

In a building in Osgiliath such matters weren't high on the list of concerns. More important concerns were making sure there was always enough food on the table, or ensuring the proper education of the numerous children. For the matron ensuring that the older teenagers out on apprenticeships around the city came home safe in the evenings was a major concern. Those concerns weren't so high in priority for those exact children though and in a great world of possible adventures leading to fame and glory they were firmly focused on what the rest of the world might have in store and it was always with a sense of excitement that the orphans of the city orphanage found out that they'd be apprenticing with people that left the city's large walls.

There were two boys in particular whose own dreams featuring adventures just like all the rest were a little closer to their destiny then they probably actually wanted and on the day before spring officially started in the Year 1089 of the Fourth Age the two boys had managed to elude their Matron for the day to explore the preparations for the massive market festival that would open the next day. This was their sixteenth spring and in two days, after the festival ended, they would go their separate ways, going with different Masters and there was a little fear in both of them that they would never see anything they knew again.

Calter knew what he'd become because of what he was. He was Lamia, born as a being faster and stronger than human, elf or dwarf. Gifted or fated with long life, near immortality and the ability to fly, all at the cost of blood. Calter was just short of five feet and five inches, with midnight black hair and the eeriest silver eyes that anybody in Osgiliath had ever seen. Only on occasion did they ever change and when they did they glittered with a deep green colour that seemed to bore through you as if they knew your worst fears. Only his lifelong friend had ever seen them change as they only did when he was emotional be it angry or upset. He feared the day after the festival because he knew there was only really one place for a Lamia who had no family. The army, especially the Gondorian army, since there were so few Lamia who were raised in either world of men and when they were available they were quickly swept up by the authorities. He'd become a scout for them without a doubt and it scared him that he'd have to fight an enemy he knew nothing about until he either survived long enough to prove himself and be given the choice to leave or until it killed him.

His lifelong friend, a human boy called Lucus, had the same skinny and tired appearance to Calter but had brown hair and dark green eyes, normal eyes which was the only sign that he wasn't a Lamia like his best friend. His fate wasn't as well known as Calter's but his greatest fear was that he'd mean nothing to the greater world and he'd half promised Calter that if his best friend and brother was sent to the army he'd run away and join up too even if they'd hardly be sent to the same training ground.

They were walking through the festival square, dodging people from every direction when something caught both of their eyes. A horse riding into the square from the direction of the main gate. The crowd parted for it in the way that people scattered from under the determined hooves of a war horse and Calter and Lucus got a clear view of the tired soldier on the back. A pale human man. Calter gasped as the horse rode past and he grabbed Lucus' arm. The man looked clean but Calter could smell it and he felt pressure on his bottom lip.

Lucus looked at him and raised an eyebrow and Calter opened his mouth slightly to show his teeth. "I can smell blood on him." Calter told his brother darkly. "Lots of it."

"What do you think happened?" Lucus asked. "How is it that he's riding into Osgiliath? We're miles away from anywhere dangerous."

"Obviously not." Calter sighed wondering what was so important that the rider was going as fast as possible straight through all the crowds towards the city hall regardless of the fact he must have ridden right through the barracks. Why not just pass the message to a messenger at the barracks and then get medical treatment?

"Come on, Cal." Lucus pulled him away from staring down the road the rider had gone and Calter shook himself as the two headed on, exploring the preparations for the festival making the most of their last day of freedom.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

The Orphanage was a simple affair, built from the same stones as the rest of the city and although it was in the same style as the old city it was only a couple of hundred years old, just like much of the rest of the city. The city had been completely destroyed by the forces of Mordor during the War of the One Ring where the famous Frodo Baggins had taken the One Ring straight into Mordor and into the flames of Mount Doom. Calter and Lucus had always loved that story especially because Frodo was just a simple Hobbit born in the Shire without any knowledge of the outside world and through completely random circumstances had been fated with such adventure. What made it all the more wonderful was how, in the stories, Frodo became so close to the great Duke Harry Corvil, leader of the ancient Nuuruhuine, the first of the Lamia.

Calter had always been fascinated with the Nuuruhuine and for good reason. He had no idea who his family were, he had no family name, nothing but the name given to him by the Matron of the orphanage after he'd been dumped on their doorstep in the morning when he was merely a new born baby. The Nuuruhuine gave him knowledge of his family however. All Lamia were descended from them so he knew with certainty that he belonged to one of them, whether they truly were alive or dead he knew that even with all the years between them two of them were his family. He hoped that they'd still be alive and even though there were stories suggesting that some of them had been killed over the last thousand years he held hope in his heart that they were all alive which meant, to him at least, that he had surviving family.

From the day that he'd discovered this knowledge within himself he had dreamt that one day a dark winged Nuuruhuine would show up in Osgiliath and claim him as their descendent and take him away from this place. Away from the human country and to Morchaint. Then he'd come back to reality and remind himself that he was assuming that they even knew he existed even if they were alive. And even then why would they care about him? There were so many generations between the three thousand or more year old Ancients and his fourteen scrawny years, why would they really care especially since he probably had other family out there that didn't care or know about him. Most Lamia in this time didn't even know which of the Nuuruhuine they were descended from. Only one claim mattered to anybody now and that was whether anyone still existed that could claim heritage from Harry and Alex Corvil. The last had disappeared almost five hundred years ago, supposedly killed or travelled west. All anybody knew for certainty was that Pier Corvil and his family had been attacked in their small home in the countryside of the Shire and had vanished completely. The stories suggested that they'd all been killed but Calter, in his own hopes, liked to think that at least Pier Corvil had survived the attack.

"You're daydreaming again, Cal." Lucus pointed out with a nudge of his elbow. Calter shrugged uncaringly and looked around at the crowd building in the small courtyard in front of the orphanage. The festival the day before had gone off without trouble even if all the gossips could talk about was the soldier that had arrived wounded and supposedly died after giving his message to the Steward of Osgiliath and now it was the first official day of spring and all of those in the orphanage of Calter and Lucus' age were assembled to be handed out to the Masters of Minas Tirith and Osgiliath to become apprentices.

Even Calter had to admit that it was a decent idea since it meant that every person in Gondor had a chance to study and earn his living and people without parents like himself and Lucus didn't end up being kicked out of the orphanage when they became adults and end up begging on the streets. What Calter didn't look forward to was being used for his Lamia heritage which would only lead him to fighting which scared him beyond anything else. Fighting to protect people didn't scare him and he did it all the time in the city because he was stronger and faster than any of the other boys and even young men in the city who bullied the younger children and orphans. What scared him was dying in the process and never knowing who he was or where his parents had gone. Had they just dumped him on the doorstep and left or had they been killed? It meant more to him than anyone knew, except for Lucus who understood everything about Calter.

In the courtyard there were perhaps twenty children and thirty or so Masters. If a Master wanted an apprentice they'd either go to friends or to the local orphanages and if the Matrons thought a child could cope with their particular work then she'd suggest them. That morning they'd been told by the Matron who they'd be going with and this was just so that they could be introduced. Tomorrow morning they'd be collected by the Masters and taken to where they'd be working, if it was in a suitable distance they'd probably stay at the orphanage but if not either somewhere suitable or perhaps with the Master or a suitable friend of their Master.

Or in Calter's case, in a barracks. It had gone exactly the way that Calter and Lucus had predicted. Calter was to be collected in the morning by a Sergeant of the Gondorian army and taken to Minas Tirith to undergo training with the scouts where he'd be looked after by the fifteen Lamia in the Gondorian army. It was partly logical since once he got his wings he'd need blood and he'd never tasted it before and no one he knew in Osgiliath could guide him properly. The only other Lamia in Osgiliath was a merchant who plied between Rohan and Gondor and he'd shown no interest in Calter at all. On occasion Lamia or Vampires would pass through but Lamia and Vampires tended to stick to Morchaint with its advanced technology and generally awe-inspiring cities and towns. Who would want to live in Osgiliath when they could live there? Unfortunately just merely walking into Morchaint and trying to settle there was next to impossible. You had to have been born there or have some skill that proved you would better the country.

Lucus wasn't too happy about his apprenticeship either but as an apprentice to a weapons forger he at least could go to Minas Tirith on occassion and would learn how to use both a sword and a bow in the process. Calter was happy for his friend since it would be a job that could really boost his friend up into the world but Lucus wanted to really mean something in the world and a blacksmith just wasn't that great.

"Cal, you're doing it again." Lucus sighed. "What are you thinking about?"

"Where we're going to be in five years." Calter told him soberly.

"Where would you want to be?" Lucus pressed even though he already knew the answer.

"I don't know." Calter sighed, giving Lucus the answer he'd expected. "Maybe being given a choice."

"Life sucks, deal with it." Lucus chuckled before the Matron called to them both. Calter had nobody to meet today but he was determined to stick close to Lucus for as long as possible.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

"Calter!" The Matron yelled at him from across the courtyard from where she was waiting with a man in the silver Gondorian armour and a black cloak with the white tree on the back. There were two horses with him, war horses by the looks of them.

"I'll see you soon." A voice beside him promised and Calter turned to look at his best friend and brother.

"I won't accept never seeing you again." Calter promised him, hearing the uncertainty in Lucus' voice.

"Calter!" The Matron yelled again. "Hurry up."

Lucus grabbed him and pulled him into a hug and didn't let go for almost half a minute. "I'll find you as soon as I get to Minas Tirith." Lucus swore.

"And you know that as soon as I want my own weapon I'll be coming to find you so start learning fast." Calter promised his friend as he pulled out of the embrace and picked up his very light bag. He really didn't have much to take with him and anything sentimental between the two of them was staying with Lucus since he could actually look after them. The only thing Calter really cared about was the string around his neck with the little flattened piece of bronze attached. They'd done a little job for one of the merchants and been given a couple of piece of bronze and with some little convincing one of the blacksmiths had helped them flatten them and etch their names onto them. In private they'd swapped them so that Lucus had Calter's name around his neck and Calter had Lucus'.

"You must be our little Lamia?" The Sergeant asked as soon as Calter was close enough. "Calter, I believe?"

"Yes, Sergeant." Calter nodded respectfully knowing better than to start off on bad terms.

"You ever ride a horse?" The Sergeant asked him.

"A little." Calter told him obediently. "They don't like me much."

"They don't like the others much either, boy." The Sergeant snorted. "We can't all waste time training them to accept your kind. You ain't got wings so you'll be fine. Get up on him then and don't be falling off."

"You take care, Calter." The Matron told him. "Send us a letter or two to let us know what you're doing."

"Yes, Ma'am." Calter nodded and approached the war horse who looked ready to rear up at him and if the Sergeant hadn't grabbed the side of its armour it might have tried to kick him. Calter edged around its head and it pranced away from him slightly before settling and letting Calter swing up onto its back.

"Like I said, don't go falling off." The Sergeant instructed and turned and swung up onto his own horse. "Good day, madam." He told the Matron before giving his horse a nudge towards the road. Calter's horse turned to follow the Sergeant and soon they were trotting off down the road. Calter twisted and could see tears in Lucus' eyes that he quickly wiped away. Calter could feel tears in his own eyes but he refused to show them to the Sergeant who was probably looking for any reason to be horrible to their latest new recruit.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That evening**

It was the first time that Calter had ever set eyes on Minas Tirith, the capital of the human realm, and the capital of the country that had been at a state of almost war with Morchaint for two thousand of the three thousand years in his kind's history in Middle-Earth. Something about that made Calter's chest tighten, this country had been the enemy of his kind for so long but that was over a thousand years ago and the Royal Line of the Gondorians were descended from King Aragorn, the only remaining line of Dunedain, and King Aragorn had been a good friend to the Nuuruhuine of old.

Minas Tirith was a huge city of polished white stone rising up from the horizon and visible from many leagues away. Calter was partly happy to see it because it was the key to something greater in his life, perhaps if he could prove himself here he could be his own person. The soldier never said a word to him all day, pausing in their march only long enough to hand him food out of his saddle before they ate on the move, riding at a steady trot to reach the city before the main gates were shut up tight for the night.

Once inside the city Calter was led up past the seventh gate and into the upper most tier and left at a deep part of the main barracks, in a room with sixteen beds in it, all looking used. Things were scattered about but even though he was left alone as soon as he got there he didn't try to search through them for clues about his new roommates and instead did as told and put his meagre belongings away in the side cabinet to the only bed not in use, the one furthest from the door which suited him fine.

He sat around for a few hours before deciding that there was no point waiting up all night for whoever used this room and instead undressed and fell into a restless sleep.

He was woken sharply by somebody yanking him out of bed and although he struggled against the grip on his arms he couldn't get away from them and as his eyes focused he found himself looking at three men. The man that had pulled him out of bed released him and Calter spotted the defining feature on all three of them. Fangs, just like his own. They were Vampires or Lamia. Calter couldn't help but stare at their teeth and the one that had grabbed him out of bed grinned.

"Not used to seeing guys like us then?" He asked before rolling his shoulders letting two light green wings spread out and fold onto his back. Calter couldn't stop himself from reaching out with a hand to try to touch the feathers and the Lamia laughed and brought his wings back in front of him.

Before Calter realised what he'd done he was throwing himself forwards and wrapping his arms around the Lamia's waist and burying his head into the man's chest. He felt the wings fold around him and even as he froze in fear about what he'd just done he couldn't hear them mocking him and he felt the Lamia's arms settle down on his own bare back underneath the wings.

Surprisingly the Lamia let him hold onto him for almost a minute but Calter was still blushing when the Lamia opened his wings and let Calter pull away. "I'm sorry, Sir! I didn't mean to be so..."

"I take it we're the first Lamia you've met?" The Lamia asked. Calter nodded and the Lamia placed his hands on Calter's shoulders. "Don't worry kid, we understand. We've been asking them to let us take you in for years but they like us fighting for them not raising kids."

"This one's a little sentimental don't you think?" The one of the right asked. "You think he's up to learning to fight?"

"The kid grew up in an Osgiliath Orphanage and he's Lamia." _His_ Lamia reminded his friend. "I think he can cope."

"Good point." The guy nodded.

"Sorry, kid." His Lamia laughed. "The name's Guy, the doubter here is Ben and this here is Reggie."

"Calter." Calter told them and got smiles. "I'm sorry. I didn't expect you all to be..."

"Be what?" Ben prompted.

"Nice." Calter admitted. "I mean, I'm just a kid. I don't even have any..."

"Wings?" Ben finished for him.

"Let the boy finish at least one sentence, Ben." Guy laughed before sobering up. "Look, Calter, we look out for each other. We might not be part of our kind but down here in the south, in human lands, we have to stick together. We'll teach you how to be kind and warm to those you care about but we'll also teach you how to cold and strong to those on the outside because around here that's what will keep you alive. They'll fear and respect you and that's what will keep you alive."

"I never wanted to be a soldier." Calter told them truthfully looking away from them for the first time and out at the darkness of night outside.

"None of our kind really want to be soldiers." Reggie spoke up for the first time. "But we are supernatural, we are a step above humans and for that reason we shall always be soldiers. At least part of us will. What we do with the rest of our being is up to us."

"You've been at your poems against haven't you, Reg?" Ben laughed.

"Right, kid, time for your first lesson. Wearing proper clothes." Guy announced. "Those rags on the floor won't do for you. You're Lamia now and you have to start looking like it."

"Why now?" Calter asked. "Why not in the morning?"

"We train at night and we train in the morning and afternoon. You get the evenings to sleep." Ben told him. "We have to train at night or we gather a crowd and we don't want people staring at us all the time. Let's get going."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two months later**

"Don't forget your wings!" Ben shouted.

"What wings?" Calter gasped twisting as Guy mocked striking at his back.

"The wings that we could have cut into a dozen times already." Ben sighed, backing away. "We've been over this already, Calter. Your wings are your major advantage but above everything else they're your last ditch attempt to escape especially when you're young and don't have the speed that older Lamia and Vampires have. You get them wounded in a fight and not only will the pain cripple you but you'll have no way out."

"But I don't _have_ wings!" He argued.

"In three months time you will." Guy pointed out. "And we're teaching you in preparation for that day. If you don't learn how to deal with them now you'll be taken by surprise."

"What's it like getting your wings?" Calter asked.

"Weird." Guy shrugged. "I know you're thinking that it must be weird having these great big things on your back." He empathised by flexing his wings slightly. "But when you wake up from the Awakening it'll be like you're complete and you'll wonder how you ever grew up without them there."

"What about the..." Calter swallowed.

"Bloody Gondor." Guy hissed. "Drinking blood isn't half as bad as you think it is. You're just used to the Gondorian prejudices."

"But how...?" Calter trailed off again.

Guy cocked his head but then shrugged. "Don't worry, we'll show you a month or so before your birthday so that after the change you can do it without all this fear."

"But what if I take too much or..." Ben moved, placing his hand over Calter's mouth. Calter hadn't even been able to flinch.

"Don't fret so much, Calter." Ben sighed. "We'll be right there at your side and the Gondorians don't permit you to drink from a human without a member of the Gondorian human military there. They don't trust us as much as you might think. Even we have to be observed when feeding. Why do you think so few Vampires or Lamia ever come to Gondor?"

"Now, Calter." Guy laughed as Ben released him. "I got a message yesterday from one of the weapons makers down on the second tier. One of the Osgiliath armourers sent a boy to Minas Tirith with a delivery and he'll be here till tomorrow. Some kid called Lucus, said he knew you?"

Ben and Guy laughed as Calter's eyes lit up "Can I go see him?"

"Of course not!" Guy said with a straight face. "I just mentioned it to torment you."

Calter stared at him trying to work him out when Guy's mask cracked and he laughed moving forwards and putting an arm around Calter's shoulders. "Of course you can go. He'll be at Pacey's forge in the second tier for the afternoon. Go find him and keep yourself out of trouble."

Calter beamed and turned into the one armed hug ignoring Guy's laugh at his affection. Guy had become such a fast father figure that Calter couldn't stop himself from loving the fifty year old Lamia.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The second tier was mostly filled with houses just like the third, fourth and fifth tiers but interspersed were warehouses and industry like the forges and armouries. It didn't take long for Calter to get directions to Pacey's forge and he saw Lucus sitting on a stool outside one of the huge doors designed to vent the heat. Lucus hadn't changed much since Calter had left him standing on the doorstep of the Orphanage. His hair was a little longer, his skin slightly more tanned but his features were the same apart from his arms which were a little more toned and his shoulders seemed a little broader. The most important thing though was his scent. He still smelled like his best friend and brother even from across the smelly street. He smelt a bit more of iron but the base scent was the same and it brought a smile to Calter's face.

He stopped in front of Lucus who looked up to see who was there and he stared for a moment before leaping up, grabbing Calter in a tight hug, almost picking the lighter of the two right up off the ground. "Cal!"

"Lucus!" Calter laughed.

"Wait here!" Lucus ordered and vanished back inside the forge, reappearing twenty seconds later. "Let's go explore!"

Calter had to laugh but he chased off after his friend realising how much slower he had to run when keeping with his human friend. He'd never realised it until Guy and Ben had started pushing him to use his Lamia abilities rather than ignore them. They ran down to the first tier and through the heaving market place and down into a side street and it was there that Lucus finally stopped and turned to Calter.

"You're not even out of breath!" Lucus seemed fascinated even though he was breathing deeply after the long run.

"I've been practicing." Calter defended before grinning happily. "We can't all be slow and clumsy like you humans."

Lucus tackled Calter and the two wrestled together like they always had done until finally Calter let Lucus pin him to the ground, sitting on his stomach. "Ha! I can still take you?"

"Wanna bet?" Calter grinned and twisted his body, throwing Lucus clear off of him and onto the dirt next to him. Calter stood up and grinned down at his friend who just started laughing.

"They teaching you lots then?" Lucus asked as Calter helped him up and they started walking side by side.

"Yeah. Guy and Ben are great." Calter nodded.

"Who are they?" Lucus frowned.

"My mentors. Lamia." Calter couldn't stop himself from smiling and Lucus saw it. "They've showed me what it's like to be... well, me."

"Like, you know... drinking?" Lucus hesitated.

"Not yet." Calter frowned at his friend. "But they'll show me before I have to start doing it."

"I suppose that's good then." Lucus frowned and Calter put an arm around his waist and shook him.

"What's your problem, Luc?" Calter asked. "You scared I might come drink your blood in the middle of the night?"

"Funny." Lucus glared. "You're just changing faster than I am."

"Kinda comes with the race. Sorry." Calter shrugged but didn't let go of his friend. It felt good to be with him again. "Besides the Gondorians don't let us feed from humans unless there's a soldier there to stop us losing control."

"That's alright then I suppose." Lucus said without thinking. Calter released him instantly and turned to him.

"Lucus..." Calter frowned. Lucus looked at him in confusion. "It's horrible that they don't trust the others enough to feed safely. It's like them not letting you drink water for three days and then holding a knife to your back in case you finish a whole glass."

"Oh." Lucus looked suddenly ashamed. "I'm sorry, Cal. I didn't think about it that way. You know I don't think Lamia are freaks or anything don't you?"

"Of course I know that." Calter nodded. "You've only been my brother since we were babies."

"Come on, let's go find something cool to watch!" Lucus announced and set off at a run. Calter, wearing his combat gear, chased off after him. Nobody even looked twice at two kids running through the city and later they'd realise that maybe they should have gotten themselves noticed a few times.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two hours later**

Lucus and Calter ran out onto the outer wall and looked down over the side. Calter had been up here a few times and his black and grey uniform gave him unfettered access to the military areas of the city. Lucus was amazed by the fifty foot drop down to the grassy plains.

"You watch yourself kid." A soldier warned yanking Lucus away from the edge and shooting a look at Calter. "You've not got those wings yet."

"We'll be careful." Calter promised. He'd become quite well known since his arrival two months previously and he'd found that only a few of the humans didn't treat him coldly for what he was. It was as if they thought he was stealing the opportunities away from them.

"You see that you do." The soldier told him with a small jerk of his head, showing that he wasn't one of those that tried to look down on Lamia. He might have said something else but was cut off by a ringing bell high up in the city. "The warning bell!" The soldier gasped.

Hundreds of bells took up the call, spreading out across the city. Shouts drifted up from the market place and especially from the great city gates before the heavy sound of solid metal doors creaking closed met Calter's ears before they thudded shut. All of the gates in the city would be shutting, separating the city into different sections.

"Man the walls!" A voice yelled from down below and within a couple of minutes humans were rushing up onto the wall pulling on helmets and armour as they went. The same would be happening on each of the walls and people would be rushing for their homes.

"Kid? You got somewhere to go down here?" The soldier asked sharply even as Calter grabbed his friend and pulled him close and out of the way of the running soldiers. Calter shook his head. "Right, stay here till everyone is up and then get into the tower and stay out of the way."

There was no way that Calter and Lucus could have headed down off of the wall with all the soldiers running about and they just stayed pressed up against the wall as the soldiers and archers spread out, keeping an eye both outward and inward until they found out what had happened to trigger the warning bell.

"That warning bell came from the Citadel level." A Captain was speaking to some other officers on the wall nearby and he glanced around and caught sight of Calter and Lucus, taking in Calter's scout uniform but knowing that Calter couldn't fly and that he couldn't use him to fly up into the city and find out what was happening. "We'll have to wait for word to be sent down by messenger or flags."

It was perhaps five minutes later when there was a cry of warning from one of the towers nearby and Calter and Lucus looked up to see two figures leap off of the Seat high above them and plummet down towards them like falling stones until just as the Captain made to yell for people to take cover the two figures seemed to explode in size as great wings unfolded from around them and caught their descent just enough that when they hit the wall it was only with a soft thud though they barely seem effected. It was Guy and Ben, Ben hit the top of the tower on Calter's left and crouched on the edge with his wings extended as if nervously waiting for attack. Guy landing on the tower to Calter's other side but didn't stay there and as soon as he spotted Calter he dropped down again and with his wings folded loosely behind him he walked quickly towards where the Captain was standing. That was what it looked like but when he got there he turned to Calter and crouched down, leaning close.

"Somebody betrayed the King, Calter." He said in a whisper. "The humans are blaming us. They stormed the barracks and killed everyone. Ben and I heard it all and got away, barely."

"We didn't..." Calter gasped. "They wouldn't."

"Somebody did but it wasn't one of us." Guy swore to him. "Trust us. Right now we have to get out of..." He trailed off as a soldier ran up the slope and stumbled to a stop as he caught sight of Guy and Ben. The soldier paused as Guy watched him before he raised a hand.

"The Lamia killed the King!" The soldier yelled. "Orders from the citadel, seize them or kill them if you have to."

"_Make them leave you."_ Calter reeled as the words roared in his head. They made his ears ring and he almost crumbled straight to the ground. Lucus grabbed him and Guy almost seemed to want to except his wings had snapped up around him warning off the soldiers who were circling him. Ben slammed down onto the top of the wall standing on Guy's flank with his sword at the ready.

"We're loyal to Gondor!" Ben tried to shout. "We'd never have touched the King!"

"Liar!" The Captain yelled. "You've just been laying in wait all this time. Spies and tricksters the lot of you."

"_Tell Guy and Ben to leave you, Calter. Do it or they'll be killed."_ The voice in his head made his body tingle almost painfully and he was having trouble breathing but the order was clear to him and he knew it to be true. Calter couldn't escape and even if he had wings he couldn't have carried Lucus and he wouldn't have left him here to take whatever blame there was to be placed.

"You have to leave us." Calter told Guy and Ben and saw the way they tensed up, showing they had heard him perfectly well in the tense standoff.

"Not happening, kid." Guy told him simply.

"_You'll all be killed."_ The voice rumbled through him again though it wasn't so overwhelming now as if it was getting used to talking to him. Maybe it was his own logic speaking to him. _"Make them leave." _It told him. _"If they leave you'll be safe."_

"Go!" Calter shouted moving and hitting Guy on the back. "They'll kill you and then us. If you go you can survive."

"Drop your weapons on the floor, traitors!" The Captain yelled. "Archers, take aim!"

"Don't shoot the kids!" Ben gasped.

"Kill all four of them!" The Captain yelled. "Just make sure the adults go down!"

"Get out of here!" Calter shouted. "They can't kill just two kids!"

"Do it Ben!" Guy suddenly shouted but it was clear he was crying. He threw open his wings making the soldiers flinch backwards and then turned and in a blur he and Ben were past Calter and Lucus and launching themselves over the edge of the wall. They couldn't have taken Lucus and Calter without being so slow and that point was proven when they only just got out range when the archers turned and fired at them. One arrow almost hit Ben's wing.

Calter suddenly found himself being pulled against a soldier with a sword across his throat and he went very still. Lucus wasn't treated any better but they couldn't just kill two children who weren't a threat to them. Guy and Ben had been a threat, there was no denying it, and the Captain could order their deaths on the spot. He couldn't do that to the two of them.

"Send word to the citadel that we have the Lamia child and his human accomplice in custody. We'll lock them up in the barracks down here." The Captain ordered the soldier that had run up the stairs in the first place. He then turned to Calter and Lucus' captors. "Take them away, put them in a cell and keep an eye on that one." He said pointing at Calter. "If it tries to bite you, slit its throat."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Four hours later**

Lucus groaned as he finally came awake and Calter tried to leap over to his side only to be brought up short just like the first time he'd tried to get to his friend. Calter and Lucus had been dragged to the cells but when Calter had been shoved rather roughly down a flight of steps Lucus had cried out and tried to get down to help him only to be kicked down the stone steps as well. He'd been knocked out when his head hit the wall half way down and hadn't come to since. They'd been thrown into the same cell without any windows and only the dull glow from a torch down the corridor. Calter had been chained to the wall on a short leash because of what he was but Lucus had just been tossed onto the floor without anyone caring for him.

Calter had panicked that Lucus had been killed but he couldn't get to his friend to check on him and instead had merely knelt on the floor in the middle of where he could reach and tried to force himself to relax. Soon after that Calter had realised that he could hear Lucus' heartbeat and his shallow breathing so he'd known that his best friend and brother was still alive. He'd spent the last four hours trying to think of something to do but come up completely blank.

"Lucus!" Calter hissed making Lucus groan and try to move. "I can't reach you Luc. Can you hear me? Are you hurt?

"Shut up a second and let me think." Lucus groaned and Calter snorted in relief but that was short lived when Lucus tried to move and merely groaned. Calter didn't say anything as Lucus managed to roll himself over onto his front and push himself up. "Well that hurt."

"No kidding." Calter grumbled. "Are you alright?"

"My arm hurts but I don't think it's too bad, sprained wrist maybe?" Lucus grumbled. "You?"

"I'm fine. I think I sprained my ankle but it's better now." Calter admitted honestly.

"Good for you." Lucus grumbled before looking around. "Where are you, Cal? I can't see a thing in here."

"Over here." Calter lifted his arms making his chain rattle.

Lucus crawled over towards him, still blind in the darkness. Calter grabbed his shoulders as soon as he could and Lucus fell onto the ground and rolled onto his back next to Calter who stayed kneeling at his side. "Why are you chained up?" Lucus asked.

"Obviously they think I'm dangerous." Calter grumbled.

"Shame you're not." Lucus groaned making Calter laugh.

"I can be dangerous." Calter warned. "If one of them tries to hurt you again..."

"I'm sure they're petrified." Lucus laughed.

"Luc..." Calter sighed.

"I know, Cal." Lucus sighed as well. "You're sorry you got me into this. As long as I'm here I might as well enjoy it."

"Enjoy it?" Calter scoffed making Lucus shrug.

"So what now?" Lucus asked him.

"How am I supposed to know?" Calter raised a chained hand to rub his face.

"Well you seemed pretty sure of yourself up on that wall." Lucus pointed out. "What happened up there? It seemed like you were in pain."

"I don't have any idea." Calter shook his head even though his human friend couldn't see it. "It was like somebody was shouting orders at me."

"I didn't hear anything." Lucus pointed out as if Calter was going crazy.

"It was in my head." Calter defended making Lucus start laughing from his place lying on the ground. "Hey!"

"I'm sorry but I always knew you were a little gone in the head." Lucus laughed even louder.

"You know there used to be Lamia who were telepaths. Maybe one was trying to talk to me?" Calter asked and Lucus just seemed to be going into hysterics. "I'm not crazy! And would you quiet down or you're going to attract attention.

"_Let him."_ The voice was so sudden that Calter flinched, flying backwards away from the middle of the cell as if someone had just appeared there. Lucus stopped laughing abruptly and just then they heard footsteps outside. _"Your friend attracted them. Two of them. They'll come in to shut him up. Pretend to be asleep and then attack them. You think you can take them down?"_

"Cal...?" Lucus hissed as he shuffled across the floor rather then get up. "I think somebody's coming."

"Just pretend I'm not awake." Calter hissed settling himself down against the wall but in such a position where he could leap up at a moment's notice.

"What?" Lucus gasped. "Cal, why?"

"Shh!" Calter whispered through his teeth. "Just trust me. Stick close so they come over here."

"Why would they come in here?" Lucus hissed back.

"To shut you up." Calter whispered just as the two figures blocked the little light coming through the gated entrance.

"You there. Shut your mouth!" One of the human men snapped. "Just be quiet until they take you in front of the Council."

"I didn't do anything!" Lucus shouted back at them. Calter didn't know why he didn't help his friend but the voice had told him to let Lucus cause a problem so that the two men would come within range. Could he take these two fully grown human soldiers out?

"_You're stronger than they are."_ The voice made him flinch and his chains rattled. _"Keep perfectly still."_

"I think it's asleep." The other man mused. "What are we supposed to do if it wakes up?"

That seemed to rile Lucus up who leapt to his feet even in the dark. His eyes were probably starting to adjust by now. "Don't call him an it!" Lucus shouted. "He was going to fight to defend you people and you turn on him like he's nothing but an Orc!"

"He's worse than an Orc." The first man spat reaching for his keys. "Those things killed the Prince and Princess while they were out riding and they killed our King in his own bedchambers."

"I don't think we should go in there with it." The second man seemed nervous.

"It's asleep. We'll just shut this kid up and then make sure it stays asleep. I don't want it trying to escape on my watch. What if it tries to bite me and I get infected?" The first man put his key in the lock. Calter could see all of this through his squinted eyes and he saw and heard Lucus back up towards him and had to focus not to smile. Lucus had taken Calter seriously and was luring them towards his Lamia friend.

As long as he took one of them down straight away then he might have a chance and the heavy chains on his wrists would give him a weapon far heavier to a human than they were a hindrance to him. The gate swung inwards and the two men came inside. Lucus fell into a defensive position and that got their undivided attention and they came well within his range. Lucus moved to the right and they both turned putting their sides to Calter who bunched his muscles and before either of the humans realised what was happening he'd leapt up from the ground and in a rather ungraceful attack he slammed his shackles down on the second man that had seemed reluctant to come inside. He put all of his strength into it and was rather surprised by the sickening crunch and the sudden smell of hot blood as it sprayed his face.

He hadn't realised but the weight of the metal and his own strength had been enough to shatter the human's skull. Blood hit his lips and he could taste it and even as the first of the men turned to face him he felt its allure ripple through him and for the first time in his life he wanted more of it. He'd never tasted human blood before but the smell of it had never made him hungry for it, especially not enough to want to drink it from somebody.

Right now though the only thing he could think about was the sound of the man's heartbeat and the smell of the blood that had sprayed his face. He leapt forwards faster than he'd ever moved before and his momentum carried them both to the ground. Calter straddled his chest, pinning his arms with strength he'd never really known he had and then leant down with bared fangs. He saw the man's eyes widen in horror as he realised what was happening but Calter didn't have any trouble holding him down. He wanted the blood that he could almost see in his exposed throat. He let go of the man's wrists and grabbed his head and moved it to the side and leaned down.

"_Calter, stop this."_ The voice was in his mind, soothing and soft. Familiar unlike everything else he could feel at the moment. _"If you kill this human like this then you will regret it."_

He tried to heed the voice's words but something still drew him towards the man's throat, ignoring the man who was trying to push him away with his newly released arms without effect. He was going to bite into the warm, soft tissue of his neck and he was going to feed on the human's vitalising blood.

"_And then you'll bite into your brother's neck and you'll drink his blood."_ The voice filled his mind again and for an instant he didn't see a grown man's neck through his blood lust but the softer skin of Lucus' neck and for a moment he thought he was pinning Lucus to the ground. Forcing his brother to lie still so he could bite into his neck. An instant was all that Calter needed and he threw himself away from the human and into the corner. He remained standing and sickeningly wiped the blood away from his mouth but he could still taste it lingering there but every time he thought of drinking more he got a flash of Lucus dying under him and it made him feel sick to the stomach.

He heard heavy footsteps and looked up from the ground to see the big human man closing in on him and before he could think of a way to defend himself the man came to a stop with a shocked gasp and Calter saw the glint of metal coming out of his leather armour. The man crumpled to the side and Lucus was standing there with his hands in front of him. Calter looked down to his right. Lucus had grabbed the other soldier's sword and stabbed the guard through the back of his armour.

"Lucus..." Calter gasped. "I..."

"It's alright, Cal." Lucus was in front of him with a set of keys, unlocking his shackles as quickly as his hands could move and then Calter was free. "Tell me about it later."

"I could hurt you..." Calter shook his head. "You should leave me here so I can't hurt anyone else."

Lucus grabbed his face and before Calter could stop him he'd put his thumbs on his top lip and forced his mouth open, touching his incisors. "These don't scare me, Calter." Lucus told him. "They never have. Now, we need to go."

Reassured by his friend's strong words Calter came back to himself a little and the two snuck out into the corridor.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Ten minutes later**

They had lucked out a little because Calter had recognised the barracks they'd been held in and had managed to get out before anyone had discovered the bodies in their cell and it wasn't far to the main gates out of the city. With the threat finished they stood open again and people were coming and going.

"We're going to have to go now." Calter turned to his friend where they were both pressed against the stone wall of a small alleyway between two houses. "Before anyone raises the alarms and they shut the gate. Once we're away from the city we'll hitch a lift."

"We don't have cloaks." Lucus warned. "How are we going to get by?"

In response Calter ripped off his uniform armoured top and looked down at himself. His trousers would have to stay as would his boots and with the light undershirt he looked alright and not too much like he was a soldier. "They won't care about two children walking out of the gates, not unless they raise the alarm." Calter explained.

"They'll care about you going past." Lucus worried his bottom lip before tearing the bottom of his dirty t-shirt and dipping it in a rain barrel. He held it up with a wince and grabbed Calter's shoulder in his other hand. Calter froze when he realised. He'd been trying to ignore the smell of blood for so long he'd forgotten that his face was sprayed with the stuff. He let Lucus wipe it all off but he could still smell a little bit.

"You sure it's all gone?" Calter asked.

"Yeah, why?" Lucus asked as he threw the cloth to the ground.

"Because I can still smell it." Calter muttered and Lucus winced. "We need to go. Get into a crowd and stay near me."

"Whatever you say, boss." Lucus chuckled. "It's your city."

Calter paused and glanced up towards the towering citadel as they moved out into the crowds of people heading in and out of the main gate. He looked away and tugged Lucus down the street. "Not anymore it isn't." Calter muttered half to himself and half to Lucus.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	2. Unexpected Friends

Tuureamindo

A/N; I'm glad people seem to have taken a liking to this story and after a few people pleading with me to hold off on posting new stories I've decided not to post my supernatural story for the time being. I'll stress that last bit; for the time being. That said I plan to name and shame a reviewer here.

**Danielle**. Although your review was polite in wording sending it anonymously and copy and pasting it into a dozen reviews for separate stories is considered as harassment by me. Sending it once because you don't have an actual account is one thing but sending it multiple times strikes me as you trying to pressure me. Do so again and I will treat you as a flame and act accordingly.

**To all anonymous reviewers.** I have left my stories open to anonymous reviewers because I understand the irritation while people are in a rush to log in to ffnet however it is a simple process to create a profile even if you have no intention of writing a story. I am getting tired of being left ridiculous anonymous reviewers and although I'm holding out for longer than most authors even I have a limit.

Chapter 2; Unexpected Friends

**The next morning**

Minas Tirith's lower walls were barely below the horizon when they heard the distant sound of the massive warning bell. They'd found something of interest, probably the two dead humans in the cell. They'd only gotten an hour's head start and that was a miracle in and of itself. They'd quickly gotten off of the main stone highway that led straight to Osgiliath and struck out across the rocky fields of Pellenor towards the forests in the north.

They'd reached the woods just after sunset and they'd had to rely on Calter's sensitive eyes to guide them deeper into the forest and away from any beaten hunters tracks and they collapsed to the ground tiredly after about three hours of tripping over roots and rocks. They were both grimy and dirty but there was nothing to prevent that but Calter knew that they'd have to spend the morning cleaning up their cloths or they were going to attract attention. Knowing that the Gondorian army would probably be out looking for them they didn't risk lighting a fire and although the cold only just got Calter's notice Lucus was having trouble sleeping because he was shivering so much and he only managed it when Calter drew him close using his unnaturally stable body heat to warm his human brother.

Calter had wanted to stay on watch while Lucus slept and had hoped to work out what they should do but instead he found his eyes snapping open again to the early morning sun coming through the high tree canopy. He swore to himself for falling asleep but there didn't seem to be any harm done and Lucus didn't comment when he woke ten minutes later as Calter tried to pull himself out from under his brother to look around.

"We really need to wash up." Lucus winced looking down at himself. He was especially dirty from trekking through the forest in the dark and he was sweaty and wrung out but it was Calter that desperately needed to wash. Lucus just looked like a homeless child but Calter had blood on his shirt and even a little in his hair. It was obvious that he'd been in a fight.

"There's a stream not far from here." Calter spoke up. He could hear it trickling past them about a hundred yards away and a little further away he could hear the heavier fall of water into a pool.

"Lead the way, boss." Lucus grinned and Calter sighed and relaxed a bit but couldn't help but wonder if they were actually safe. They weren't shy around one another and swimming naked in the River Anduin was nothing new to them both since as Orphans having baths made up for them hadn't been all that important so there was no problem stripping off their clothes and throwing their trousers and shirts into the stream before submerging themselves in the pool. Since joining the scouts Calter had been bathing every other day to upkeep a clean appearance and with the stress that training had put on his muscles it was soothing to lie in hot water with the other scouts. All of which, apart from Ben and Guy were now dead.

Calter scrubbed at his face and hair before looking around at Lucus who had just surfaced holding his shirt, scrubbing the dirt out of it. It wouldn't be the best clean possible but it was better than nothing. "What you thinking about?" Lucus asked.

"Just wondering where to go next." Calter shrugged ducking down so his shoulders were under the cold surface. It wouldn't be long until Lucus started getting really cold.

"What in Mordor actually just happened?" Lucus asked. "Why'd the Gondorians just go like that all of a sudden? They were happy just killing us both to kill your Lamia friends."

"The Gondorians?" Calter asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm your brother, Cal." Lucus shook his head. "I go where you go. I am what you are. I'm not going to be a Gondorian if they want to kill you."

"I don't know if they really think I was involved or not." Calter shook his head just as Lucus shivered violently and pulled himself up out of the water and back into the sunlight. Calter raised a hand as he finished scrubbing himself clean. Lucus chucked him their clothes out of the stream and into the pool of water for Calter to clean up since he could stay in the water much longer. "By the sounds of it some Lamia got into the King's bedchamber and killed the King. And it sounds as if the Prince and Princess were killed while out riding."

"You're sure it wasn't the other Lamia scouts?" Lucus asked. "I know you wouldn't have been involved but..."

"They wouldn't have." Calter shook his head. "They were loyal to Gondor. For one reason or another they felt that Gondor was their home."

"You're sure? You've only known them a couple of months." Lucus pointed out.

"Okay, let's ignore what I know of them for a moment." Calter reasoned. "Why would they have stuck around? Guy told me they were all in the barracks after the attack. If they'd killed the King they could have flown away and been halfway across Gondor before anyone knew something had happened."

"You have a point." Lucus nodded. Calter finished off with the clothes and submerged the back of his head to scrub at the blood dried into it. "What do we do then?"

"We can't stay in Gondor." Calter sighed.

"Where else are we going to go?" Lucus asked as Calter pulled himself out of the water and started ringing his clothing dry. It was then that he noticed what was missing. He'd been so focused that he hadn't noticed that his bronze pendant wasn't lying against his chest. His eyes widened and his right hand settled against his skin in horror. He made to open his mouth but then looked at Lucus and saw Lucus' pendant on its string but also his own. "The guards that locked us up broke it on the way to the cell. I managed to grab it but the string was snapped so I tied it to mine."

Calter swallowed in relief and closed the gap so he could gently touch the pendant that normally lived against his own skin. He smiled at Lucus and nodded. "You'd better keep a hold of it till we find something so I can wear it again.

Lucus nodded with a small smile of his own before they started to dress. "Morchaint? Will they help us?"

"As long as they weren't involved." Calter frowned.

"You think they might have been behind the assassination of the King?" Lucus gasped.

"I don't know." Calter shook his head. "All I know is we can't stay here and in a few months it'll be hard to hide who I am."

"Once you get your wings?" Lucus clarified.

"It'll be easier to hide what I am if we're up north. There are other children my age." Calter pointed out. "All anyone down here needs to do to find me is to search for any Lamia child."

"Are we sure they'll care?" Lucus asked. "I mean the Gondorians. Maybe they've already stopped searching."

"We'd better assume that they do care and will chase us to the ends of Middle-Earth. The only place we'll be safe is if we can get lost inside Morchaint." Calter nodded to his friend as they finally finished changing. "We'll head west along the mountains until we reach Rohan."

"What about your friends?" Lucus asked. "Where do you think they went?"

"I'm sure they're a long way from here by now." Calter shook his head, not wanting to think about it. Logically they should have flown north all the way to the nearest Morchaint garrison on either of the Great Southern Highways that led down either side of the mountains that divided the Western Countries in two.

"Wait, the Highways!" Calter grinned. "If we can get to Rohan and onto the Highways we'll eventually run into one of the Morchaint patrols. The Gondorians can't touch us once we're near one of the patrols."

"Assuming the patrol decides to protect us." Lucus deadpanned. "Let's face it Cal, Morchaint isn't going to start a war with Gondor over the two of us."

Calter breathed out sharply. "Well there's nothing else for it but to head away from Gondor. My life expectancy here is less than a minute if we run into any soldiers."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

They headed through the forest as quickly as they could with Calter listening out constantly for any signs of human life and they foraged what food they could knowing that food on the grasslands between here and Eastfold, where they'd find the first Rohirrim villages, would be scarce. Once out in the open they travelled as fast as they could. Calter could have probably jogged for much of the day to cover the distance but Lucus was human and although he was young and fit enough to jog for several hours at a time it was taking its toll on him by the end of the first three days. Lucus refused to slow down though for anything longer than an hour and slowly he began to be able to cover more and more distance.

Calter felt guilty for the strain he was putting Lucus under. They'd relied on each other almost exclusively for their entire lives and it was painful to see Lucus under so much pressure to be with Calter. On the night of the eighth day of travel they found a small outcrop of trees near to the foothills and set up a fire for the first time to cook a couple of rabbits that Calter had shot during the day. They kept the fire only just large enough to cook the meat they spitted over it.

"Cal?" Lucus spoke up after lying silently for almost half an hour.

"Yeah?" Calter asked looking up from checking the meat.

"Have you thought about blood at all since what happened in the cell?" It was the first time what had happened had come up in conversation. Calter flinched. "Do you crave it?"

"I..." Calter's hands shook. "I don't desire it."

"You were staring at the blood on the rabbits earlier. I watched you." Lucus sighed and sat up, scratching at his chest under his t-shirt.

"It's the first time I've smelt blood since what happened." Calter admitted. "I wanted to taste it but it wasn't hard to restrain myself."

"What happened in the cell..." Lucus stated, just to turn the conversation onto what he really wanted to talk about. "I just wanted you to know that I don't blame you for it. I wanted to kill him too and I don't think anything bad about you for losing yourself like that. You were geared up for a fight and you knew you'd have to be brutal to protect us both."

"I was just taken by surprise after I hit that first guy." Calter admitted. "All I could smell was blood and I could taste it in my mouth and with all the anger and tension in the room... I just lost it."

"I know." Lucus sighed before laughing. "I'm not scared of you, you know."

"Oh really?" Calter flashed him a smile, flashing him his permanently just longer than normal incisors.

"You'll always be..." Lucus trailed off as Calter jumped from a seated position into a crouch. "What is it, Cal?" He hissed.

"I missed it." Calter admitted as he came to a standing position.

"Missed what?" Lucus asked as he stood up too.

"There's a wagon out there. The sound of the fire..." Calter shot his friend an apologetic look. "I didn't hear it."

"The fire?" Lucus moved to put it out.

"It's too late. The wagon's stopped." Calter drew his bow and Lucus stepped around and drew his sword.

"What do we do?" Lucus asked. "Ask for a lift?"

Calter looked at him sharply before chuckling in realisation. Why did they really have to be worried about a single wagon? There was only one horse and one man. Chances were he was only looking for company to stay with for the night. They could just ask him where he was heading and maybe even use him to head further away from the city. It beat running, especially for Lucus.

They didn't have much choice when Calter saw the man pushing through the undergrowth and into the light of the fire. Calter lowered his bow but didn't take the arrow from it. "Well now, I didn't expect that one." The man laughed. "What are you two children doing out here?"

"We got lost." Calter admitted. "We got separated from our Masters."

"Where were you heading?" The man asked with a kind smile.

"Our Masters had business in Rohan." Lucus caught on and slipped his sword away as a sign of peace. He at least knew that Calter didn't need a weapon to do damage.

"Well two boys like you shouldn't be on your own out here." The man smiled again. "Didn't you know there are murderers out and about. Killed the King of Gondor they did. How about you hop on my wagon? I'm heading through Rohan. I'll give you a lift."

"Thank you, Sir." Lucus smiled. "Did you want to share our camp for the night?"

"No, no. Gotta keep moving." The man shook his head. "You can sleep well enough in the wagon if you'd like. This'll be easier. I'll drive at night and you two can drive in the day."

"Thank you, Sir." Calter smiled genuinely, pleased that finally something was going their way. They quickly eradicated their camp and followed the man out through the trees to where the wagon had pulled up off of the road to approach the trees. It was a simple Gondorian affair with high wooden sides and a canvas roof and back. The sort of thing people lived in when they travelled.

"Here we go." The man smiled at Lucus as he untied the back and held it open. The inside was even darker than outside and Calter heard a rustle inside and figured he had a dog or something. Most people didn't travel alone after all. Lucus put a foot on the step at the back of the wagon but then Calter saw it. A small glint of the moonlight on something inside. It flashed off of Lucus' sword sheath and for an instant flashed off of eyes. Human eyes. There were people in there. Something rustled again and Calter heard the smallest grating of metal against metal.

"Lucus!" Calter warned and made to step forwards but the man was already moving, springing his trap. He pulled up a club and brought it down on the back of Lucus' head sending him sprawling into the back of the wagon. Calter froze and in anger the man chucked the club into the back of the wagon with remarkable precision. It hit flesh and Calter heard a pained cry. He'd knocked out whoever was in there. Clearly used to it too. The man turned to Calter.

"Don't go giving me trouble, lad." The man smirked. "You're worth nothing dead." Calter took a half step backwards but it wasn't a retreat in reality but a fighting stance. The human wouldn't know Lamia fighting techniques though and clearly thought he was backing away. "Either get in with your buddy or I'll kill you where you stand and leave your body for the wolves." He drew a hand and a half sword.

Calter licked his teeth, feeling the fangs grow longer and sharpen at the threat to Lucus. "Wrong species." Calter snarled opening his mouth just slightly, letting the man see his fangs and the man's shock was all that he needed. Calter threw himself forwards, twisting to avoid the man's panicked swipe of the sword and then slammed his shoulder into the man's gut, doubling him over and pinning him to the back of the wagon which creaked under the tension. The man struggled but Calter broke his wrist to disarm him and then pinned him carefully.

"_You can't leave him alive, Calter."_ Calter flinched at the softly spoken words in his mind but ignored it for a moment. That didn't work though. _"He'll report you and the entire Gondorian army will know where you are going. He's probably a slaver, heading east. If you let him live children will suffer a worse fate than death."_

"I can't." Calter gasped even as he thought about draining the blood from the man.

"_Break his neck, Calter."_ The voice ordered and Calter shifted his hold until his right hand covered the man's throat. The man stilled in panic but Calter didn't let himself think about it too much. He'd never been taught how to do this but holding the man like this was almost instinctual even if breaking his neck instead of feeding wasn't. With his strength though he couldn't really go wrong. He shut his eyes and jerked his hand, pulling up and around, twisting the man's neck right around to look back towards the forest. The body went completely still and in the sudden silence Calter could only hear the pounding of his own blood in his ears.

He dropped the body and staggered backwards. He stared for a few minutes before remembering their actual plight. He tore down the canvas on the back of the wagon and leapt up inside. His eyes searched briefly and easily found Lucus along with two other children their age chained to the right side of the wagon. The closest one was the one he'd seen when Lucus had climbed up.

Calter ignored both of the unconscious children and knelt at Lucus' side. The smell of blood, from all three of them, almost overwhelmed him and he struggled for a bit as he probed at the back of Lucus' head where it was bleeding. Lucus moaned reassuringly and Calter relaxed a little and moved Lucus into a more comfortable position to sleep off the rest of the night. He then moved across the wagon and took the pins from the shackles to release the two children. He lowered them down, both groaning at the movement, but neither of them seemed too bad. The girl seemed alright but the boy's leg was bleeding and Calter had trouble even putting a very basic bandage over it. Smelling Lucus' blood wasn't as bad as a stranger's.

He headed outside and ditched the body in the edge of the forest before forcing the horse to pull the wagon around the trees so it couldn't be seen from the road. He released the horse and tied it to a tree and it quickly settled down to sleep.

Calter sighed and sat himself on the back of the wagon, leaning against the wall. He kept watch throughout the night trying to force his fangs to retract to something more normal but no matter what he did to calm himself the danger that Lucus had faced and the smell of blood prevented them from shrinking. Adult Lamia couldn't even reduce their teeth but after they received their wings they couldn't sustain themselves on normal food and their teeth fixed into position, enamel growing under the fangs to make them stronger. Calter, since he didn't need to feed on blood to survive at the moment could retract them into his gums a little although all he had to do was open his mouth a little and it became obvious what he was.

It wasn't until the sun rose and lit the inside of the wagon that one of the three inside stirred. Calter quickly rose to a crouch and moved inside to find the boy lifting his head blearily. A confused look crossed his face as he found himself looking up at the ceiling and he moved his arms, testing his restraints only to find himself free. After discovering that he sat up with a gasp and came face to face with Calter who was crouching near his feet.

The boy stared at him in shocked amazement for a moment before looking down to his right at Lucus and then to his left at his sister, clearly noticing that she was also released from captivity. "What happened?" The boy asked him.

"I think we were all about to become slaves." Calter pointed out.

"I..." The boy frowned. "I'd realised that. I mean all I remember is him climbing up into the wagon and then you calling him. I tried to warn you."

"Thank you." Calter nodded.

"How did you...?" The boy frowned. "I thought for sure you'd be captured as well."

Calter opened his mouth a little and ran his tongue over his upper teeth in way of answering. "He thought he had two human boys to capture. I took him by surprise."

"You're Lamia?" The boy asked and Calter noticed the fear flash across his face before he stamped it down. "Is he Lamia too?"

Calter looked down at Lucus who was still soundly unconscious. Calter looked back at the boy and shook his head. "Human." Calter shrugged.

"Why are you together?" The boy asked.

"A human and a Lamia can't be friends?" Calter asked in amusement and the boy blushed furiously. Calter shrugged again. "We're orphans, we grew up in Osgiliath together."

"Wait!" The boy gasped making the girl stir as his arm hit her by accident. "You're the new Lamia scout they've been training."

"I was." Calter shook his head. "Until the Gondorian army slaughtered most of them and tried to lock Lucus and I up."

"For what?" The boy gasped again. The girl woke up completely and gazed blearily at the boy but didn't seem compelled to join the conversation.

"Lamia supposedly broke into the King's bedchamber and killed him." Calter frowned when the girl gasped and sat up and the boy choked.

"The King is dead?" The boy asked demandingly.

"That's what I was told when they threw me into a cell for no reason." Calter shrugged.

"Why?" The boy was crying and that shocked Calter the most. Sure people normally cried when a beloved King died but this boy was really shaken up. It was then that Calter really looked at them and he gasped quietly. They were wearing very expensive riding uniforms and there was a royal emblem on the boy's empty sheath.

"You're the Prince and Princess?" Calter asked. The boy nodded just as the girl buried herself into his side, crying freely. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise. I wouldn't have been so blunt but it's been a rough few days for me and Lucus."

"We know the feeling." The boy gritted his teeth. "Why did the scouts kill the King?"

Calter snarled but caught himself before he could lurch at the boy. He'd just lost his father after all. Calter snarled angrily at them before twisting and leaping out of the wagon. He paced angrily away from the wagon until he was clear of the trees and then just stared out at the horizon. Somewhere out there was a place that was safe but it seemed to be getting further and further away.

He heard somebody clamber out of the wagon and head towards him and turned his head to watch the Prince stop a few paces to his side. He looked out at the horizon for a moment before turning completely to face Calter. "I apologise."

Calter scoffed. "You're that afraid of me?"

"I don't understand." The Prince frowned.

"Prince Oliver Telcontar." Calter sighed. "You just realised that I killed the man that had you captive and you think I helped murder your father. You think I'm your new captor? There's the way back to Gondor. Take it."

"We've gotten off on the wrong foot." The Prince sighed. "I should have thought my words through more clearly. You said that Lamia murdered the King so you clearly do not believe that it was the scouts."

"The scouts have all served Gondor for years, longer than most of your other troops." Calter snapped. "They would have died for the King. They were part of Gondor for one reason or another. It's just become clear to me that no matter the Age the Gondorians will always be quick to blame the Lamia as a whole. They saw Lamia attacking so they targeted them all, even their own Lamia. There is no justice in that."

"Oli?" A soft voice called from behind them and they both turned to look at the girl climbing gently out of the back of the wagon. "The other boy has awoken. He is in pain."

Calter ran straight past her and leapt up into the wagon and was crouched at Lucus' side in an instant. "Lucus?" Calter whispered.

"Hey, Cal." Lucus sighed, clearly relieved to see him. Calter glanced over his shoulder to see the Prince and Princess watching them. "Couldn't you have killed him before he hit me?" Calter winced at the reminder that he'd killed him. "Sorry." Lucus shrugged.

"It's alright. There wasn't any other option." Calter sighed. "He'd only have kept going if I left him alive and he'd have reported me."

"Yeah." Lucus sighed. "Help me up."

"You should rest." The girl demanded, climbing up into the wagon and pressing Lucus' back down as he tried to sit up.

"She's right, Luc." Calter laughed.

"Who are you two?" Lucus asked, eyeing the girl warily as she produced water from a canteen that had been sitting on a shelf on the wall.

"Prince Oliver Telcontar and Princess Melenade Telcontar." Calter warned him.

"Oh great." Lucus moaned. "Now they'll accuse us of kidnapping them too."

The boy laughed and moved out of the doorway. Calter leaned down and kissed his brother on the forehead. "Just get some more sleep."

"Yeah alright." Lucus whispered and already had his eyes shut when Calter slipped back out of the wagon.

He found the Prince tending to the horse and headed over to him. "If you don't mind I'd like to leave Lucus in the wagon until he is fit to walk again." The Prince nodded to say he agreed. "Then you and your sister can take it and return to Minas Tirith. We'll be alright on foot."

"Why not return to the city?" The Prince offered.

"Are you mad?" Calter gasped before remembering who he was speaking to. "Sorry, Prince Oliver, but that's out of the question. They'd capture us again."

"I can speak for you." The Prince promised.

"They'd probably kill us as soon as they see us." Calter winced.

"Why?" The Prince asked.

"I killed two guards to escape." Calter muttered but knew that the Prince had heard him. "They tried to kill Lucus. I didn't have a choice."

The Prince sighed but nodded. "I can still vouch for you but you are right, they probably will not listen. Where will you go?"

"We haven't really decided." Calter sighed. "Perhaps to Morchaint."

"What do you hope to gain from them?" The Prince asked.

Calter shrugged. "I know I'm no one important to them but if Gondor goes to war over this then I'll be right in the middle of it."

The Prince sighed and continued pampering the horse for a while. "You're right." The Prince nodded. "You will be right in the middle of any war between Gondor and Morchaint. The Gondorians will use you to declare war."

"Thanks." Calter grumbled.

"We will accompany you to Morchaint." The Prince suddenly announced making Calter stare at him.

"Why?" Calter asked.

"That one slaver did not kill our entire bodyguard." The Prince pointed out with a raised eyebrow. "He merely found us when my sister and I were on the run. Lamia fell upon our guard from the sky and killed all of them. They were not however wearing any uniform that I recognise."

"But if they were from Morchaint?" Calter asked.

"Do you believe that Morchaint would do such a thing?" The Prince asked.

"How am I supposed to know?" Calter waved his hands expansively. "I'm just an orphan kid from Osgiliath."

"If Morchaint wished to go to war with Gondor they would not have need of Gondor to declare the first battle." The Prince shook his head. "Even though Gondor is a powerful nation Morchaint has the technological and military advantage. They would not need to falsify reasons to go to war."

"So why do you want to go to Morchaint, Prince Oliver?" Calter asked.

"Call me Oliver." The Prince commented. "If we are to travel together we can not be so obvious."

"What makes you think I've agreed when you won't even give me a reason?" Calter argued.

"You were just talking about how you grew up in Osgiliath and how you were loyal to Gondor." Oliver pointed out. "Will you not then accept my orders?"

"I have no loyalty to Gondor any longer." Calter said sharply. "My only loyalty now is to Lucus."

"How about a fourteen year old boy and a twelve year old girl?" Oliver asked. "Will you not protect them?"

"You didn't answer my question." Calter sighed, admitting that he would protect them just because they needed it. "Why go to Morchaint?"

"Those that sit on the thrones of the Morchaint Council are sworn by oath to protect those of their families when they are threatened in their own countries." Oliver explained.

"And by those on the Morchaint Council you mean...?" Calter prompted.

"King Handuin of Rohan, King Legolas and Queen Andreya of the Elves, King Ghudin of the Dwarves, Steward Perion of the Shire, Lord Regent Augustus Trelin of Morchaint and of course my father, King Alexandros of Gondor." Oliver sighed. "If I ask they must take us in and protect us."

"Unless Lord Regent Augustus Trelin of Morchaint ordered your death." Calter pointed out. "And the death of your father."

"I don't believe that to be true." Oliver shook his head. "My sister... she..."

"What?" Calter asked.

"She has a gift." Oliver winced at this admission. Clearly he wanted Calter on his side. "She can see the truth of a situation in her dreams. It's never just plain and simple but she believes strongly that it was not Morchaint that ambushed us."

"Who then?" Calter asked.

"I don't know. I'd imagine somebody that wishes to start a war between Gondor and Morchaint." Oliver shook his head. "In the end it really doesn't matter. The Lamia that ambushed us will believe that we will head for the sanctuary of a Gondorian city so that is precisely why we cannot. They will be on the lookout for us and will kill us."

"You've probably got that right." Calter rubbed at his head. "Alright, you come with us. Even ignoring the threat to ourselves I think that the Morchaint Council must be made aware of what is happening."

"We'll rest here until Lucus is well enough to travel." Oliver nodded. "I'd suggest we set the horse free and burn the wagon. It is too conspicuous for four such as us to travel in such a way."

"You're probably right." Calter nodded, beginning to like the human boy. "We need to get your leg looked at. It's still bleeding."

"How...?" Oliver asked how he'd known even as he glanced down and pulled up his trouser leg. Calter took a half step back. Oliver stared at him in surprise for a moment.

"I'm getting used to rather sudden urges to drink blood." Calter said emotionlessly. "Lucus' I am used to. Your blood I am not."

"We don't have much water..." Oliver frowned.

"Grab your sister, Oliver." Calter nodded using Oliver's first name with a smile. "There is a stream a little ways into the trees. You both stink and you both need to wash off the blood."

"Stink?" Oliver's eyes widened before he grinned at Calter. "I'm going to like you I think."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Edoc'sil – Morchaint**

A rider pushed his horse faster and faster across the stone causeway that linked the Wall from the high and mighty city. The third largest city in all of the Western World, only beaten by Minas Tirith and Dras Arget. It was, however, the undisputed trading centre of Middle-Earth bringing together all of the countries and races although the Morchaint presence was so heavy you could never forget who controlled the city. Each of the countries had their own trade nexuses but all roads led to Morchaint and all but two of them went through Edoc'sil and you couldn't enter Morchaint without climbing up into the lofty city and declaring your intentions. If you tried going through the Domia Pass you were caught and questioned and so it was true with the western plains that joined Morchaint to the Shire. The only other option was the Northern Wastes and just like Nacraemeus' famed legion you'd probably freeze to death in mere minutes.

So Edoc'sil had been a major crossroads for many centuries, especially so in the last thousand years as trade with the Rohirrim and Gondorians picked up. As such it was also where most of the representatives for most of the races lived so that they were easily able to convene. Official Morchaint Council business was always held in Dras Arget, undisputedly the Capital of the civilised world but snap decisions would normally be made between representatives in Edoc'sil and that was where the messenger was heading.

An hour later saw a gathering on one of the Citadel balconies a thousand metres above the surface of the plains. The Governess of Edoc'sil sat rather regally on a stone bench by the railing as she watched the representatives chatting between themselves. She was Governess Annette Daroden, given the position by Duke Corvil after the Nuru Noste dissolved from being a military body. She was his perfect choice to be in charge of the city that constantly had the world's attention. This city was the one that the human nations always dealt with and she was the perfect person to run it and she had for almost six hundred years now.

On the balcony was a single Lamia, the head of Edoc'sil's formidable 'local security' which was actually an army of substantial presence. He was a slight man who looked even younger than she did and she knew he was extremely deadly with a bow because his ability was to see clearly things far beyond the normal visible horizon. From here she knew he could see almost a hundred miles. There were also a couple of Vampires from Morchaint, members of the larger Council that represented Edoc'sil when it came to internal matters within Morchaint.

She also called for the Ambassadors to Edoc'sil from all of the six countries and they had come with their aides even at such short notice. In all there were four Elves, two dwarves, two hobbits and five humans and they were only waiting on Cyrus Androval, a Lamia who acted as her liaison with the Morchaint Regency.

He landed softly behind her on the railing and stepped down, folding his wings but leaving them out and visible as all Lamia did within Morchaint. They were a beautiful teal colour that glinted in the sunlight. Annette was considered an elder but she'd never gotten over how awe inspiring the Lamia's wings were. She stood up and quickly got the attention of everyone on the balcony before glancing at Cyrus who nodded in permission. She'd already shared the news with him and he'd gotten permission from the Regent to share it.

"We have received dire news within this past hour." She spoke softly before looking to the humans opposite her. Rohan always sided with Gondor and that was going to make this situation all the worst. "Gondor has ordered the closure of its borders to all Morchaint citizens." She declared emotionlessly.

The humans gasped in shock and the Rohirrim representative looked to his kinsman with a confused expression. Annette continued before anyone could ask any questions. "The message we received was from King Handuin by way of a Rider. He has been asked by the Generals of Gondor to close his own borders to Morchaint. For the time being he is delaying."

"What has happened in Gondor?" Eliette, the Mirkwood Elf, asked gently.

"We have yet to be confronted by Gondor ourselves however they have informed the Rohirrim King that two groups of armed Lamia infiltrated their lands. One group into the Citadel where they killed the King and the second group have ambushed the Prince and Princesses who are now unaccounted for but assumed to be dead."

"No!" The ambassador from Gondor gasped and Annette bowed her head.

"I am truly sorry for your loss and this city will recognise what has happened with the deepest of regret." Annette motioned out and the group looked down over the city and for the first time noticed that the normally lively array of pennants and banners blowing in the breeze had been taken down and now only one banner flew over the city. A black banner flying at half mast over the main entrance way. Soon it would be replaced by the Gondorian flag but Annette didn't doubt that it wouldn't last. Not with the way things seemed to be going.

"You Vampires are all about words!" The ambassador from Gondor growled. "Yet you still resort to trickery and false promises!"

"How dare you...!" The head of her army flexed his wings.

"Enough!" Annette ordered. "We shall not resort to petty bickering."

"Gondor will not stand for this crime." The human ambassador declared.

"That is also what your man in Dras Arget has declared." Cyrus spoke as if there was nothing dangerous in this situation.

"Rohan will undoubtedly side with Gondor." Eliette sighed.

"We shall speak for ourselves if you don't mind." The Rohirrim ambassador half snapped, only curbing himself because of her regal beauty. Eliette bowed her head in way of an apology.

"It has been suggested by the Rohirrim that the Lamia working as part of the Gondorian army have been declared guilty of regicide and executed." Annette spoke up sharply when it seemed that further discussion about Rohan's involvement would prove pointless. "They are currently hunting a small Lamia child who they saw as being involved. A boy who as yet is not even old enough to grow his wings."

Her General lost his cool at that and his wings flexed. Annette rested a hand on his arm. "We are requesting formally that Rohan, should they find the boy, escort him to Edoc'sil with all haste."

"I shall send word to my King as soon as possible." The ambassador to the smaller human nation nodded his head though Annette wasn't fooled, Rohan was in a sticky position right now, caught in the middle of two titanic nations with the choice of alienated themselves from one or the other with their decisions. Annette knew that if the situation wasn't dealt with peacefully and soon they'd try to stay neutral for as long as possible before eventually siding with Gondor knowing that Morchaint wouldn't obliterate them without serious reason.

"Is that all you have to say?" The ambassador from Gondor asked. "I must send for orders from my nation."

Annette nodded but Cyrus held up a hand. "A single message from our Regent. A formal decision has yet to be made on the situation but any aggressive action taken upon our soldiers will be taken as an act of war on Gondor's part. We are telling you now, unequivocally that Morchaint was not involved, in any way, in the death of your Royal Family. In regards to the young Lamia boy currently fleeing Gondor. If either the Gondorians or the Rohirrim are responsible for his death then there will be repercussions."

Annette didn't think for a moment that that would stop the Gondorians from killing that child if they had the chance.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Calter looked over his three companions as he put the largest bag on his back and rolled his shoulders to settle the weight properly. Oliver and Melenade, Mel for short, had been good in that they hadn't argued having to take their own share of the supplies although Mel didn't have nearly as much as the boys but that was more because she was the smallest of them and not because of her being a girl. Lucus was still a little on the dizzy side from the blow to the back of his head but he was no longer in any danger if they made a move and neither Calter or Lucus wanted to stay still and let the Gondorian army overtake them if they weren't going to already.

Lucus looked just like any over Gondorian child out alone in the world, possibly a runaway although he was of age enough to hide among crowds without sticking out. Lucus was a little shorter than Calter since neither of them had been well fed in their youths. Evidently that wasn't a problem much for Calter and Lucus was fed enough that his height wasn't too badly stunted. He could pass off in a crowd if he wore a hooded cloak as could Calter. Oliver and Melenade were a bit more of a problem. Melenade was very petite for her age and Oliver was only in the early years of his puberty and although he was starting to show the signs of his first growth spurt it wasn't particularly obvious. They looked like children and that wouldn't change if they raised their hoods over their heads.

In a crowd the group could possibly pass off as a travelling family from the poorer outlands of Gondor and they'd already agreed that if they were stopped they'd try that but the ruse would quickly fail if they were forced to lower their hoods. In all though they didn't have much of a choice. At least on foot they'd probably just be overlooked on the main roads but they really had no idea what the fall out was going to be.

The going was tough for a while as they trekked along the north foot of the White Mountains keeping the hills and scree piles on their left and the grasslands of Gondor and then the Eastfold of Rohan to their right.

Oliver stopped them just after midday on their fourth day as they crested a small rise and saw more vast plains stretching out before them. Melenade gracefully slumped to her knees with a gasp of breath after the last rise that they'd been forced to scale and Lucus dropped his pack on the ground and helped her get her shoulders and arms clear of her own. Calter was wondering whether to take more weight into his own bag because he honestly barely noticed the weight anymore. Oliver and Lucus were keeping their mouths shut but the forced march through the harsh lands was starting to seriously take a toll on them both. That was the problem with staying off of the trade route between Gondor and Rohan. The road was nice and even, trodden by multitudes each year. Only thieves and criminals trekked these routes. Calter was glad they hadn't run into any of them so far.

"I think we should take a small break." Calter suggested and Oliver turned to look at him and then down at his sister.

"Yeah." Oliver ran a tired hand through his hair.

"Rest and I'll go try and find us some fresh meat." Calter offered.

"Are you sure?" Oliver pressed.

"I'm not as tired as you." Calter admitted honestly. "I think perhaps I should take more of the weight. Either that or we need to consider what we can dump."

Oliver nodded as Calter dropped his own pack on the ground. Oliver followed suit before heading over to his sister and helping her up. "Before you go, Calter." Oliver motioned to him and pointed down over the vast grasslands to the north and west. "Let me introduce you to Rohan."

"We're out of Gondor!" Lucus perked up with a grin.

"We are." Oliver nodded. "See that gate house there along the road with the stables and paddocks?"

"Of course." Calter nodded. He could see it in such fine detail, even fifteen miles away, that he could make out the man sitting on the step by the door. He was wearing a black cloak in the shade of buildings porch way. "There's a soldier sitting on the doorstep."

Oliver looked at him and his lips twitch. He seemed to always get a jolt of surprise when Calter did something extraordinary. "That's the border between Rohan and Gondor."

"That's not Gondorian armour." Calter pointed out with a frown. "Do the Rohirrim wear black cloaks over their armour?"

"No." Melenade announced. "They wear green. That building is the Southern Way Station. It is the most southern arm of Morchaint."

"I don't know whether you can see it properly, Lucus, but the road changes slightly, becoming better kept from this point onwards." Oliver told him even though his own eyes couldn't see it from here. "It is what Morchaint calls a Highway. They have a network of Highways in the western countries, all bar Gondor as my ancestors have never allowed them to construct them. Mostly they just used the old trade routes."

"Why are there Morchaint sentries there though?" Calter asked. "Why not Rohirrim of Gondor?"

"They are not actually sentries." Oliver shook his head. "The Highways are Morchaint property and are patrolled by the Morchaint Highway Patrol. In Rohan for example the Morchaint Highway Patrol have jurisdiction upon the highway and any building attached to it though not towns they may pass through. The building down there is Morchaint. Their patrols come only this far south, rest here and then head back north."

"I never knew that." Lucus bit his lower lip. "Why don't they run into Gondor then?"

"We refused to release jurisdiction over the trade routes." Oliver said simply. "It's all almost a thousand years ago now but this is the way things are."

"So if Rohan is still permitting Morchaint troops to patrol the Highway then that's a good thing right?" Calter asked.

"Permitting?" Melenade asked. "You don't really realise what your people are do you?"

"I don't have a 'people' anymore, Princess." Calter pointed out simply. "I don't know where I was born and the only country I felt loyalty towards just betrayed me without evidence and tried to kill me and my brother."

"Calter." Oliver put a hand on his arm calmingly and Calter forced his incisors to retract again. His temper boiled too fast recently and he never really felt as hungry as the others as they travelled. Lucus had realised how little he ate and it made both of them nervous. Neither of them really knew what signs to look out for before he got his wings. What worried them was that they knew that Calter would need blood after he awakened properly and Calter, especially, was worried that he'd go for the closest source and he doubted that would be some passing deer or horse.

"So do we go down there?" Calter asked Oliver.

"I've been thinking about it." Oliver nodded. "If we get onto the Highway at this point then no Gondorian can arrest you. Assuming Morchaint Troops arrive as well."

"Can we just go down there, tell them what Calter is, tell them who you two are and ask them to take us to Morchaint?" Lucus asked.

"Are you happy with that, Calter?" Oliver asked him.

"We can't risk the Rohirrim capturing us on the way through and handing us back to the Gondorians." Calter nodded.

"Even if Mel and I cannot prove who we are they should give aid to you if you tell them what has happened." Oliver nodded.

"And if they have orders to placate the rising Gondorian uproar by handing him back like a bargaining chip?" Lucus challenged.

"No, it's alright, Luc." Calter sighed. "It's our best shot at this point."

"We rest here for an hour then. No more and then head down across the valley before the sun sets." Oliver nodded.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

In actuality they didn't arrive until almost the middle of the night. They were going fine for almost an hour when they were walking down the steep foothills towards the smoother plains when a rock turned over under Melenade's foot and with her extra baggage she tumbled down the hill a couple of dozen feet before Calter could dump his pack and throw himself down past her and steady her fall. She'd sprained her ankle and it had started swelling rapidly. They'd shared her pack between Lucus and Oliver. Calter had put his own pack over his front and she'd ridden piggyback on his back but it was slow going, especially when it got dark and they only had the stars to guide them. Calter had to guide them with his better eyesight and it was a painstakingly slow journey.

Calter found himself getting anxious as they approached the single light on in the distance but he kept them moving knowing that they were all close to exhaustion and needed hot food and somewhere safe to sleep. His own concern at finally meeting people from what was supposedly his own country was kept a long way back in his mind so as not to interfere. He knew it was late when they finally hit the hard stone courtyard that the trade route intersected and he could not see or hear anyone inside the building.

The wind blew though his hair for the first time that night and with it he gasped and tensed up. His arm muscles clenched tightly and his teeth gritted as his incisors elongated and he hissed through his teeth. Melenade wriggled off of his back and limped back into her older brother who steadied her. "Calter?" Lucus' voice reached him and Calter turned to look at him with wild eyes. "Brother?" Lucus stepped in front of Oliver and Melenade though he didn't know what about his brother made him think they were in any danger from him.

Calter wrenched his head away from the knowledge of fresh blood in their veins but the move only turned his nose back to the building and the smell of blood blowing out of the building. He dropped his pack into the middle of the road and put his arm across his face, smothering his nose and trying to breathe through his mouth alone but he could still almost taste the blood on his tongue and greater than ever before he craved it.

He whimpered to himself and dropped himself to his knees, trying to block the smell out and mercifully the wind blew at him from the east, bringing with it fresh air. He dropped forwards and drew fresher air into his lungs. Lucus settled down next to him and he heard Oliver and Melenade backing away from him just in case. "You can smell blood, Cal?" Lucus guessed correctly.

"A lot of it." Calter gasped. "And I can't hear anyone."

Lucus stood up and cupped his hands over his mouth. "Hello!" He yelled at the top of his voice. "Is there anyone in there! We need help!" Nothing, just like Calter had expected.

"Are you alright, Calter?" Oliver asked from a distance and Calter leaned back to kneel upright and twisted to look at them.

"Yeah, sorry." Calter gave them a sheepish look. "I can smell so much blood."

"And he's getting too close to his change." Lucus told them making Oliver bite his lip, probably imagining how long he'd stand up against a crazed bloodlust-driven Lamia. "Calter, you stay out here. Will Melenade be safe out here with you alone?"

Calter nodded. "I can control it."

"I can't go in alone, Prince Oliver." Lucus told him respectfully.

"You shouldn't." Oliver agreed and drew his sword. He looked at his sister who nodded and then walked past Calter and with Lucus up to the doorway to the building. Calter stared after them for a moment before turning to look at the approaching twelve year old girl. She was holding a canister of water up to him.

"It might help wash away the smell." She winced at the bad description but he knew what she meant and she was right. He accepted it as she sat next to him in the middle of the road and he drank a little of it to wash out his mouth. "What do you think happened here?"

"I smell blood and I can't hear anyone." Calter winced. "Maybe they were attacked?"

"Oliver will know." She nodded her head.

"You trust his judgment a lot." Calter observed.

"I love my brother." She told him. "He may be a pain at times because he can be very stubborn about things but he loves the world around him more than himself. I look forward to the day he becomes... King." Her voice caught as she spoke the final words and she swallowed painfully. Technically, with their father murdered, he was already King.

Calter went to settle his arm over her shoulders but then remembered that he was an orphan that nobody in the world had wanted and she was the Princess of Gondor. He made to withdraw it before she noticed but he was too late. She surprised him by accepting his invitation and although he knew he'd frozen, second guessing himself in offering comfort, she leaned into his side. He dropped his arm around her.

"If things hadn't happened this way you would have made a good friend and protector for my brother when he rightfully succeeded our father." She informed him quietly.

"Your dreams tell you this?" Calter asked with a chuckle.

"They have not." She laughed back. "But I see the good in..."

She trailed off as Calter's hearing suddenly exploded with sound. He should have had more warning but the sound was from downwind and he barely had time to tense up and get to his feet when riders burst out of the darkness. Riding hard along the Highway like nightmares out of dreams. They were all around them in seconds and Calter pulled Melenade into his front to protect her, pulling his sword out of it's sheathe.

He quickly found four spears in his face and dropped his sword. He couldn't fight so many horsemen with spears with just a sword but if they underestimated him like the slaver had he might be able to distract them long enough to get Melenade away from here. Melenade clung to him but she seemed calm.

"They're Rohirrim." She whispered to him as the horsemen shifted around them. There were just the four out here still on their horses but another six horses stood nearby where the soldiers had quickly disappeared into the house. They didn't have to wait long and Lucus and Oliver were dragged out by the backs of their cloaks. Their weapons were thrown onto the floor along with Calter's sword and a minute later the horsemen backed up slightly and a man approached with two soldiers flanking him. Calter could see his uniform and face clearly in the lantern from the building and the four lanterns carried by the horsemen still mounted.

"What are you doing here?" The man demanded roughly.

"We were looking for shelter." Oliver spoke up with his regal voice that Calter had heard only once before. When Melenade and Lucus were teasing him.

"What happened to these soldiers?" He questioned.

"We don't know." Oliver shook his head. "We only arrived a short while ago. There are no enemy bodies."

"Sir, we passed no one else on the roads and these bodies are barely an hour old." The man at his side pointed out.

"Captain, there are no recent tracks leading away from the road. Only three sets approaching from the south." A man declared as he entered the circle, he was wearing very slightly different armour, more like a scout. "These four but there are only three tracks, I am certain of it."

"My sister, Captain." Oliver spoke up. "She slipped on a loose rock. Her ankle is sprained. My friend Calter carried her on his back."

The Captain glanced at the scout who did something between a shrug and a nod, presumably saying that it was possible. "Assuming these four were not involved then that leaves us either Lamia killing their own or..." He trailed off as he glanced down the highway in the other direction. A road so well used that you couldn't track people's tracks on it.

Oliver sucked in a sharp breath making the Captain narrow his eyes at him. "What's your name, boy?" The Captain demanded.

"Captain." Oliver winced. "I need assistance. My name is Prince Oliver Telcontar and this is my sister Princess Melenade Telcontar. Our travelling party was ambushed and killed. Calter and Lucus are our travelling companions."

The Captain blanched and stepped in close, running his eyes over the party and taking note of the fact Melenade was still depending on Calter for protection. He moved over to her and grabbed her chin rather roughly and before Calter could control himself he snarled, the sound making him well aware that his teeth had grown in an instant. The Captain rocked back a complete step and the four soldiers still on their horse readjusted their spears to point directly at him.

"What are you?" The Captain demanded, drawing his sword with a smooth motion that betrayed his skill with it. "Either a Vampire turned too young or a Lamia child."

"Lamia." Calter hissed pushing Melenade towards her brother so that she couldn't become fodder if this kicked off. He raised his chin knowing he didn't really have a chance but if he distracted the four horsemen for long enough it might give the others a small chance.

"If it weren't for Calter we'd still be in the hands of a slaver." Oliver stepped forwards, not coming between the spears and Calter but enough to make it obvious he was demanding attention.

The Captain's eyes raked over Oliver's clothing and he hummed and lowered his sword. "Slaver you say?"

"We made the mistake of accepting assistance from the wrong traveller." Oliver explained. "When Calter and Lucus made the same mistake Calter realised what was happening and overcame the slaver."

"Please, sir." Melenade pleaded. "We need help. You must believe us."

"That'll be for the King of Rohan to decide." The Captain jerked his head. "As I reckon it there's only one Lamia brat around here and that's the one that killed your father if you are who you say you are."

Calter hissed between his teeth and the spears advanced slightly. "Take us to your King then." Oliver bargained. "He will recognise my sister and I but I vouch for these two now and I shall before your King. They remain with us."

"They'll go where we put them." The Captain snapped and Oliver flinched realising that he was saving himself and his sister but was possibly about to hand Calter and Lucus over to the hangman for crimes they'd been framed for.

Calter looked over at Lucus who sighed and slumped slightly but nodded to him. "It's alright, Prince Oliver." Perhaps if they made a break for it quickly then he and Lucus could steal a horse and get away. The Captain wouldn't risk hurting Oliver and Melenade without cause.

"_You must stay with the Prince and Princess."_ The voice made his head burst with a sharp pain and his knees buckled just as a soldier grabbed him and Lucus so nobody noticed. _"They must not be harmed. You must remain with them."_

Calter let himself be bound and lifted up behind one of the riders and had his arms bound around the man's torso. The Captain came to his side and put the flat of his blade against his throat, forcing his head back to look at him where he'd been slumped forwards onto the man's back. "Just to warn you, you try to bite or harm this man and your human friend dies."

"I won't hurt anyone." Calter whispered and the blade was removed. The wind shifted and Calter tensed and whimpered again as the blood overcame him. "Please ride. Please. All I can smell is blood. I can't..."

He didn't seem to need to explain more as the rider twisted slightly with a shocked gasp before looking at the house and he spurred the horse into a run, moved along the highway and upwind of the house as the breeze shifted once again. "You alright, lad?" The Rider asked him.

"I don't want to hurt anyone." Calter promised him. "I didn't hurt anyone."

"That's not for me to decide. Just keep those fangs to yourself." The Rider told him nervously.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	3. Imprisonment

Tuureamindo

A/N; I'm glad to see people enjoying this story so much. I'm off to Germany for a short while this week and I'll try to get the next chapter up when I arrive back home in two or three weeks time.

For those that don't have a login address should know that unless an author sets their profile otherwise, all reviews whether anonymous or signed are forwarded directly to their email account. There's no need to send a review multiple times to ensure it is read.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Chapter 3; Imprisonment

**Edoc'sil – Three days later**

Annette ran outside as the warning bells rang out through the crisp afternoon air. It was passed summer now and the plains or Morchaint were rapidly starting to cool and in a few months the first snows would fall in the Northern plains and move down to Edoc'sil before the end of autumn.

She made it outside within seconds of the first bell ringing and just as others joined in the fray. Soldiers ran to the walls and the towers and Ballista spun to aim up into the sky. She turned to look as did all of the guards who had come out into the opening, manning almost every horizontal surface in the city as the threat became known as from the sky. Far above them, clear because there were no clouds were two Lamia. To a human they would have looked like nothing out of the ordinary, just another Lamia arriving in the city but to the Vampires and Lamia their armour was clear.

"Gondorian armour, my Lady." Her General spoke calmly even though she could see that already.

"Still Lamia." Annette stated simply. "Order the scouts into the air, start south and spread around our flanks. Find out if they are on the front end of an army."

"We couldn't have missed a Gondorian army, my Lady." The General assured her but turned to the railings and raised his horn and sent out a peal of sound through the air which made every human in the city flinch and cover their ears. A staccato of peals sounded as he told their scouts to start a standard search pattern and only seconds later two hundred Lamia leapt into the sky. "What do we do, shoot them down?"

"Standard orders apply, do not shoot until fired upon." She demanded just as the two figures folded their wings and shot down towards the city. As they got closer she knew they were heading towards the citadel and she knew Lamia enough to know just how tired they were. They were barely able to open their wings to slow their descent. She grabbed the horn off of her General and sent out a short blast that tingled her ears and then raised an arm out over the banister to draw their attention to their balcony.

The General hissed in resignation but drew his two swords and held them ready. Annette wasn't a push over and was over twelve hundred years old. She was among the eldest of the Vampires but he still had his duty. Eight other soldiers ran out onto the balcony, among them five humans, two Lamia and a Vampire. They all drew weapons but left the middle of the balcony clear as they spotted the two Lamia as they approached. Their wings buckled a few metres from the balcony as the winds surrounding the tower buckled. One just managed to catch onto the railing and haul himself up but the other missed.

For a second he was falling but then the next a feminine hand was around his wrist and pulling him up and over the balcony. He could have survived the rest of the fall by gliding but their wings were tired and barely able to fold behind their backs. They'd been flying for some time and they were pale showing that they hadn't fed.

They knelt on both knees on the floor as they recognised Annette as somebody to respect but also because they were too tired to stand. Their eyes flashed around, partly in panic but their eyes settled on the humans more often than not but they seemed ashamed to do so and tried to hide it.

"Definitely Gondorian, my Lady." One of the humans moved forwards. He was close to laughing.

Annette moved forwards. "My name is Annette Daroden, Governess of Edoc'sil. We were told that the entirety of the Lamia Scouts were executed for the assassination of your King."

She kept in mind that they weren't from Morchaint. They were Gondorians and possibly responsible for regicide and this entire situation they now faced. They looked straight at her. One forced himself to stand, maintaining his dignity but when the other tried he couldn't find the energy. "My Lady. We come seeking aid."

"As your appearance suggests." She said primly. "What aid is it that you require, except blood?"

"We wish only for aid in finding our charge." The man stated simply.

"Your names?" She demanded.

"Guy, My Lady." The standing man declared. "This is Ben. We've never had second names. Only ranks."

"You were born in Gondor then?" She asked.

"Yes, my Lady." Guy bowed his head.

"You understand that should you betray our hospitality there are many here that could rip you apart." She stated. "You may have been older and stronger than your human compatriots but against myself and many others here you are children."

"We understand, my lady." Guy nodded.

"Why did you come to us for aid, Guy?" She asked.

"Because the Gondorians turned on us because we were Lamia and for no other reason. We'd all fought for Gondor for more than fifty years, longer than anyone else in Gondor yet they turned on us without asking for our side of it." Guy whispered miserable. "It was our home but we were never truly welcomed there."

"You risked us turning you back over to them to placate them." She stated simply.

"We owe Calter." Ben looked up with a look in his eyes that told her what she needed to know the most. Where their hearts were. "He's locked up in a cell and we need help to get to him and free him."

"Whether we can help you rescue the boy or not is not up to me alone." She said calmly before turning to the two human soldiers that had spent the entire conversation nearest to her. "Are you both happy?"

"With guards, my lady." They nodded to her. What they meant was Lamia or Vampire guards capable of crippling the two if they lost control.

She turned back to the two Gondorian Lamia and offered her hand to Ben who was still unable to stand. As soon as he was standing the two Vampires were at their shoulders helping them stay upright. "Drink what you need then you will be shown to rooms where you may wash up, sleep and clear your minds. We shall talk when you have slept. This evening at sunset."

"My Lady." They both whispered.

She looked over at her General. "Find Cyrus and send him to me."

The group moved off of the balcony and soon afterwards the guard in the city were standing down. The Lamia would continue their search just in case but Annette had seen the pain of betrayal and the desperation to save this boy, Calter as she now knew, in their eyes and in their words. Taking them in was something that Duke Harry Corvil would do and he wouldn't have been wrong and she took strength from that. People would want them executed or handed back to Gondor for judgement for their perceived crime. They were only two foreign Lamia, ones that had thought of Gondor as home and not Morchaint. It would be easier for them to hand them over and leave it at that. Soothe out relations with the Gondorians to avoid war.

Harry Corvil wouldn't have agreed though. He would have gone to war because it was the right thing to do. No matter the cost because if they didn't then they were as bad as the Gondorians who had slain their own soldiers without proper evidence.

"My Lady!" She spun around to face the running feet as they skidded to a stop. It was Cyrus and if he wasn't Lamia he'd be out of breath.

"What is it, Cyrus?" She asked knowing that this wasn't because of her summons.

"A message from our spies in Rohan. The Rohirrim are saying that they have captured a Lamia boy along with a human friend travelling with Prince Oliver and Princess Melenade Telcontar." He stared at her with wide eyes. "And my Lady, they are saying they were found at the Southern Way Station. Twenty of our Highway patrol were found killed. Most likely Gondorians."

Her fingers tightened into fists but she calmed herself. She couldn't take it at face value but it didn't look good. The Rohirrim would kill Calter rather than make an enemy of Gondor but Morchaint had already stated that if they did then they would answer to Morchaint.

"Cyrus, get orders from the Regent." Annette stated. "I want to send Riders to Rohan to forcibly retrieve this Lamia child."

"I'll do so now." Cyrus went to shut his eyes but Annette spoke again, making him blink open his eyes again.

"What of this boy? Can you or anyone else reach his mind?" She asked.

"I have tried, my Lady." Cyrus frowned. "And so have others. At this moment we can sense no Lamia, even an unawakened child, within Gondor and only those we know about in Rohan."

"Get our orders from the Regent." Annette nodded. "And do so quickly."

She turned and headed for her own rooms thinking things through. Again it came back to what Harry Corvil would do in this situation and once again she wished he had remained rather than go back to sleep. Not even she knew where they were. Two hours later Cyrus knocked on her door and she joined him to walk to the strategy centre with its large table top map of the Western Countries. On it were their own armies and what they knew of the Rohirrim, Gondorian, Elvin and Dwarven Armies. To her partial surprise Eliette was standing in the room with her aide and she bowed to Annette who motioned for her to join their conversation.

"The Regent has ordered you autonomy to act at your own discretion." Cyrus told Annette. "He reserves the right to rescind that if he wishes at any time."

"My King suggests subtlety." Aliette offered. "He has also asked me to inform you that he has soldiers in Rohan that are..."

"That are what?" Annette asked when Aliette frowned.

"Doing their own thing to assist Calter." Aliette frowned. "I am sorry, but I do not know what he is implying with that."

"King Legolas is the elder here." Annette smiled slightly. "He may be able to help but I won't push him for answers."

"He will be grateful." Aliette nodded. "My King wishes for war as little as you do."

"I will not base my decisions now on the desire not to go to war." Annette shook her head sadly.

"The Regent is unsure whether or not this boy is worth going to war for." Cyrus sighed.

"And the soldiers dead at the Waystation?" Annette frowned.

"Possibly a misunderstanding." Cyrus suggested. "Perhaps somebody impersonated Lamia to provoke the Gondorians against us and then killed our soldiers so that we would blame it on vengeance?"

"Possibly." Annette nodded. "But we cannot base decisions on possibilities."

"My Lady?" A human at the door bowed to her. "Your guests are ready to speak with you."

Annette nodded and the man ducked outside briefly and came back in with the now disarmed Lamia who, although they still looked tired, were much recovered from when they had arrived. They bowed to her but they both had their wings out in her presence. She wasn't sure whether through nerves or respect for who they were. It was generally a rule that Lamia had their wings out within the city for ease of recognition and because few Lamia preferred their wings to be within them and preferred to feel the wind through them. They were just like that. Their bows were out of respect for her though.

"My Lady Annette Daroden." The one called Guy smiled to her although his impatience to get down to matters was obvious in his eyes.

"We'll get straight to business." She nodded to him and turned and led them to the map in the middle of the room. They looked it over with eyes well used to military presentation and they frowned at the markers around Gondor and Rohan. "This information is up-to-date as of yesterday." She informed them. "We have several spies within the Gondorian army."

"Did you have any within the scouts?" Ben frowned.

"No." She shook her head and saw the relief flash across their faces. "We do not send Vampires and Lamia to spy on our allies. Most of our spies are human merchants."

"I don't think you can consider Gondor an ally anymore." Ben shook his head sadly.

"You have a place here as long as you wish it." Annette told them simply and they snapped their heads up to look at them. "Do you know of any family that you have here?"

"We do not." He shook his head. "We were born to Gondorian fathers and Lamia mothers who had lived in Gondor most of their lives."

"Where are they now?" She asked.

"They died when a small village was overrun with Easterners." Guy stated. "It was a long time ago."

"Tell me of this Calter." Annette requested.

"He's barely an adult." Ben told her. "He was abandoned by his parents at an orphanage in Osgiliath when he was a baby and raised there until his sixteenth spring when he was assigned to us for training."

"When they stormed our barracks and started killing us all Calter was down in the city with his human friend Lucus." Guy continued the explanation. "We managed to escape and went to get him but the soldiers surrounded us."

"So you left him?" Annette gritted her teeth but let them explain themselves without completely judging them.

"If we'd tried to fly with them we'd all have been shot out of the air." Ben defended. "And if we'd fought we'd all have been killed. Calter told us to leave him."

"You did it because a sixteen year old told you to leave him?" Annette's eyes narrowed.

"If we'd fought then the soldiers would have killed us all." Ben pointed out. "Calter knew that. The best chance we had was to come here for help."

"As it stands he's currently being held as a prisoner in Rohan." Annette told them and saw them flinch.

"How did he escape Gondor?" Ben asked, his hands shaking.

"We don't know." Annette shook her head. "Information out of Gondor at the moment is limited. All we know is that a small Gondorian army is hunting for him. Currently it is camped out just south east of the Rohan border." She pointed to the southern waystation with a sigh. "A Morchaint patrol was killed here three days ago and Calter and his friend Lucus were captured by a Rohirrim patrol along with Prince Oliver and Princess Melenade Telcontar."

"What?" Ben gasped.

"Again we don't know." She shook her head. "Our spy in Rohan told us that they were captive but the Rohirrim ambassador has yet to approach us and in truth we have little power to interfere. Calter, just like the two of you, are not Morchaint citizens."

"So you won't help?" Ben frowned.

"And what will you do if I say no?" She asked.

"Then we would request to be left to return to Rohan and help him ourselves." Guy straightened his back.

"I fear that in the three days it takes for you to reach Rohan the King will have already taken whatever action he has planned." Annette sighed. "That said I am sending an Evetoral Guard Unit to Edoras. If you are well enough to fly you may go with them."

"What are they exactly?" Guy frowned.

"Human elite guards." She told them. "You may travel with them but I cannot send Lamia to fly there or else I start a war."

"We will go with them." Ben nodded after looking at Guy. "It is true what you say, if the King of Rohan plans to take action he will do so long before we could fly there."

"The unit leaves within the hour." She told them simply and motioned to the guards watching the two Lamia. "Take them to the main gates. The unit will be informed." She turned back to Ben and Guy. "I don't need to remind you that as Lamia you can be mistaken as part of Morchaint especially acting in league with Morchaint soldiers. Do not take action against the Rohirrim and throw us into war."

"Why are we going there?" Ben asked. "Officially I mean?"

"That will be decided based on what King Handuin does." She told them simply. "Our contacts in Edoras will meet you there with our decision."

"What will Morchaint do?" Guy asked cautiously.

"What will Gondor do?" She asked in return and he knew she actually wanted an answer to base her own decision off of.

"They will not listen to reason. They think their King was murdered by their own Lamia answering to Morchaint." Guy shook his head. "For millennia they have never trusted the word of Morchaint. That will change only slowly and not any time soon."

"Then we will end this with war." She sighed. "The Morchaint armies will gather in case the Gondorians march to war."

"The Elves will make our own assessment of the truth behind this situation and take action accordingly." Eliette spoke up drawing amazed stares from the two Lamia, having never seen an elf before. "There is more to this than readily obvious. I would advise patience but Gondor will not be as willing to wait as Morchaint. Even so my King sends messengers to talk to the Gondorian army."

"Let's hope this works itself out without more bloodshed." Annette sighed wishing again that Harry was there. He would probably already know what was behind all of this but in the meantime the cogs of war would have to start turning.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Soon after**

"Follow me, Ietittar." The voice wasn't painful. It was soft and smooth and had an appeal to it that Calter really couldn't shake. He followed the shapeless form through the darkness towards a flicker of light that quickly grew to give form to the being he was following. The shape was strange and it took a while for Calter to realise he was looking at the silhouette of a Lamia with his wings tucked into his back. He couldn't see any details with the light where it was but he followed without conscious control.

The light formed into an archway and the figure paused in the threshold. He turned to look at Calter but a moment later the scene had shifted. The dream reversed and although the figure still stood in the threshold of the door, Calter was standing in the bright sunlight on a balcony built into the side of a mountain. He spun around to take in the visage but all he could see were grass plains stretching towards the sun like an endless sea. It couldn't be real yet what did he know of the world? He turned to look at the softly spoken being but he was still in the dark of the door. He could just make out the shape of his body and his wings.

"What did you call me?" Calter got up the nerve to ask eventually.

"Ietittar." The voice told him again. "It is a mix of Elvish and my own tongue. It means my little one."

"Am I dreaming?" Calter asked.

"Something like that, yes." The figure didn't move as it answered.

"Is this real?" Calter pressed.

"You are a curious one, Ietittar." The figure chuckled. "I am speaking into your mind as I have done before. Guiding you on your way. Protecting you. It is easier this way and less... encumbering for you. To reach your waking mind I must use more power."

"Why are you in my head?" Calter demanded.

"I just told you." It chuckled again. "To guide and protect you."

"I'm sleeping in a cell in Rohan. Good job." Calter couldn't help but be cheeky but the figure laughed richly and finally stepped forwards into the light. Calter gasped and recoiled, stepping back into the stone railing. The figure was tall with a cut of armour that Calter had never seen before. Black and silver but with no cape. His wings caught the light and seemed to swallow them. They were seemingly completely black but had the slightest of dark green to them that magnified gloriously in the bright sunlight. "Who are you?"

"My name is Harry Corvil." The man smiled, showing pointed teeth.

"The leader of the Nuuruhuine?" Calter frowned. "What do you want from me? I'm not from Morchaint!"

"Calm yourself, Calter." Harry raised a hand and approached and Calter stumbled and slid down the balcony wall in fear. Harry sighed and fell down onto one knee and waited until Calter began to calm down. "You need never fear me, Calter. I would never cause you harm."

"Why not?" Calter asked with a gasp. "I'm just a nobody."

Harry gently brushed hair across Calter's forehead and Calter stared into his eyes in surprise. "You're everything to me, Ietittar." Harry whispered. "We share our blood."

"What!" Calter felt his breath catch and Harry leaned forwards and gently touched his lips to Calter's forehead.

"You, Alex and I are the last of our family. You are all that remains of the family that Alex and I begun on Middle-Earth." Harry whispered softly. "I will protect you, Calter."

Harry raised himself back up and reached out a hand to Calter who took it and let the immense strength of the over three thousand year old pull him up as if he was a feather. "Can you help us?"

"Physically I can do nothing." Harry sighed. "And should anyone discover our blood tie you would be hunted by too many. I have faith however that someone shall aid you."

"Someone?" Calter asked.

"Oliver is tied to you." Harry smiled gently. "As his family has been tied to ours since they regained their throne. Oliver knows not who you really are, whether you tell him and his sister is up to you, yet he will feel an urge to protect you just as you will feel it to protect him. He will not sit idly by and let the Rohirrim harm you. If you get the opportunity you must take it, even if you must kill for it, Calter. You must listen to me." Harry's tone took on a sharp edge as Calter jerked his head in denial. "You must because if you do not the humans will surely kill Lucus and you."

"And what about Oliver and Melenade?" Calter pushed.

"Take them with you." Harry told him. "They are not safe here where they can be found. People are hunting them, wishing to escalate this pathetic war."

"And then what?" Calter asked.

"Be calm, Calter." Harry sighed and moved closer and Calter realised that his limbs were shaking. He hated himself for being weak then, he was so pathetic that he couldn't keep his own, Lamia, body under control. "You are not pathetic, Calter." Harry sighed and closed the gap. He settled his arms loosely around Calter and then his wings followed, wrapping around the young man and shutting out the light. Calter's arms automatically wrapped around Harry and he clung to him. Believing finally that Harry was truly his own blood and that this wasn't just his mind playing out delusions of grandeur.

"I will return to you when you are free." Harry told him. "Head north away from Gondor. Make sure you take Oliver and Melenade with you."

"And Lucus?" Calter frowned as Harry pulled back, letting light hit them again.

"He is your brother. I would sooner die than allow you to lose him." Harry smiled. "He is your family so he is my family."

"I can tell them?" Calter smiled weakly and Harry rested a hand on his black hair, gently musing it. He nodded with a smile before leaning down and kissing his forehead once more.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Calter sucked in stale air as he woke and sat up so fast he didn't recognise the hands shaking his torso until it was too late. He rolled them both and pinned the other beside him on the ground and his head lowered so that his mouth was a mere half inch from his neck. The body under him shook violently in shock and fear and hands pushed up at him but it was only a moment before he recognised the scent under him. He relaxed his body and pulled his head back enough to look down at Lucus' wide and shocked eyes, lit by a fire sconce somewhere behind him.

"Cal?" Lucus whispered and swallowed thickly.

"You're alright." Calter promised him.

"Says the guy that was just sniffing at my neck." Lucus frowned.

"Sorry." Calter winced.

"Instinct." Lucus swallowed again and Calter sagged so that his head rested on his brother's shoulder. He pressed his head down against the rough cotton of Lucus' shirt and pushed the rest of his body away from the human.

"I won't ever hurt you, brother." Calter swore as he finally completely moved away, sitting down cross-legged beside his brother.

Lucus watched him before sighing. "Yeah, I know."

"But how long till I lose control?" Calter asked.

"I don't care." Lucus told him. "Better me with you than somebody else."

"Why?" Calter asked.

"Because if you lose control you're more likely to get it back when you realise it's me you might end up attacking." Lucus pointed out. "Tell me it wasn't my scent that just stopped you."

Calter nodded. "I recognised your scent first."

"What were you dreaming about?" Lucus asked. "You were pretty restless."

Calter licked his teeth, feeling the elongated fangs yet again. He frowned, trying to hide them but couldn't get them to retract. He reached up with one hand and traced them with his finger and thumb and saw Lucus watching him. He was getting close if it was this hard to hide them. Maybe he really couldn't hide them now which meant it was really close but then again they were in danger so he was unlikely to be able to calm himself enough. He looked at Lucus. "I can't tell you here." Calter locked eyes with his brother, promising with his gaze to tell him later.

"You really think we're getting out?" Lucus raised an eyebrow at him. "They locked us up here yesterday morning, it's been almost a day and they haven't even sent someone to see us. All they're doing is discussing when to send us back to the Gondorians to hang us."

"I'm sorry." Calter felt pain deep in his chest, heart breaking for causing this fate for his brother.

A clump of dirt smacked him in the face and he stared in shock at his suddenly angry brother. "Don't you dare apologise again!" Lucus snapped. "If I'm not standing next to you then I might as well have died at birth! You're the only family I've ever had and you're the only thing that I have in this world!"

"Sorry." Calter's lips flicked up at the corner as he apologised again and his human brother huffed and flopped back onto the ground.

"At least they didn't chain you up again." Lucus pointed out. "How are we going to get out then?"

"We'll wait and see what happens." Calter sighed. "I'm hoping Oliver will come through for us."

"Oliver?" Lucus sat up to look at his Lamia brother square in the face. "You think he has any reason to help a couple of nobody orphans he only met a fortnight ago? Even if he believes our story?"

"I have faith in him." Calter told Lucus firmly not mentioning that part of that faith came from a dream that might just be that. A dream.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Meanwhile**

"So we're just going to sit here eating fine meats and freshly baked bread while Calter and Lucus starve in the dungeons?" Melenade asked her brother with a set jaw. Oliver sighed and the bread in his mouth suddenly seemed to taste like grit. He forced it down his throat and huffed as he pushed the remains of his lunch away across the table, suddenly losing his appetite.

"You think I don't know that, Mel?" Oliver sighed wearily, feeling as exhausted as he looked. He hadn't been able to sleep the night before so he hadn't even recovered from their forced march through the foothills and the rushed ride to Edoras seated behind a scout. "It's stabbing me in the gut every minute."

"Then what do we do?" Melenade asked. "Break them out?"

"You're insane." Oliver pointed out bluntly, staring down his sister.

"I just feel like we should be protecting them." She frowned. "Calter especially."

"Supposedly Calter and the Lamia Scouts killed father." Oliver reminded her, sobering her sharply at the reminder of their father's death. Her eyes teared up and he sighed in regret for mentioning it.

"I believe him when he says he had nothing to do with it." She said firmly. "I'm not wrong. He's a good person with no family other than Lucus and we're sitting up here in new clothing, with servants and fresh food while they suffer. I feel rotten and horrible and..." She trailed off.

"Like a traitor." Oliver dropped his head, feeling all the more miserable. "We already tried asking King Handuin to release them but he won't with the Gondorian military on his back."

"Oliver! You're the King of Gondor! You _are_ the Gondorian military." Melenade complained.

"Not until the army takes us back to Minas Tirith to prove to the people that we're alive and they make me King officially." Oliver shook his head. "That's at least a month away and the Generals are in charge until then. They'll kill Lucus and Calter as soon as possible to make good on promises to the people."

She frowned out of the window at the windy plains around Edoras. A minute later she bit her lip. "Thinking about Calter dying makes me feel sick to the stomach, Oli." She admitted. "Why?"

"You've made friends with him and Lucus." Oliver sighed.

"Yeah I feel that way about Lucus too but with Calter its real pain. It's something else." She frowned and looked up at her brother. "Tell me you can't feel it too." His eyes widened slightly but he sighed and nodded. "Why?"

"I don't know." Oliver shook his head.

"I need to talk to Handuin." She suddenly declared and stood up. The servant just out of earshot snapped alert at her sudden move and he was opening the door into the corridor even as she slipped through it. Oliver ran to chase after her and had regained a little of his composure as the servants to the Golden Hall announced them.

"We've had this conversation." The King stated without even looking up at them. He was alone but for two of his Captains and a number of personal guards, more than normal since they clearly had decided that Calter was a threat even locked up in the dungeons. Then again Calter and Lucus had already escaped one dungeon, killing two guards in the process, two of Oliver's own soldiers. Calter had also told Oliver the story and Oliver believed him when he said he only did it to protect Lucus.

Calter sighed at the King's response even before they had spoken. Melenade wasn't deterred though. "Have you thought about what Morchaint will do when they hear you killed a Lamia in cold blood?"

"Cold blood?" One of the Captains scoffed at her.

"Watch your tongue." Oliver snapped, pulling himself up to his rather unimpressive height, coming to his sister's defence. The King snapped a harsh look at his own Captain for his words and the man backed up half a step and didn't speak again. "No matter what you say," Oliver continued. "If you kill Calter and Lucus then you do so in cold blood. There is no proof that the Lamia Scouts had anything to do with the assassination of my father. There is no proof that Calter was involved. If you kill him you do so unjustly."

"What I do will be for your benefit, Oliver." Handuin sighed out, looking across at a riled Oliver as if looking at a grandson. "Your father was a dear friend to me and I will look after you and your sister until you are old enough to look after yourselves."

"This isn't about us!" Oliver gritted his teeth. "This is about..."

"I know what this is about." Handuin cut him off. "What I mean to explain is that you are not yet ready to fill your father's throne when it comes to decisions like this. Just or not that Lamia boy cannot be freed or the Gondorian Army will never settle. They want blood."

"They are _my_ army!" Oliver fisted his hands enough to cut his fingernails into his hands.

"Not at the moment." Handuin shook his head. "We've barely had a chance to tell them that you are here in the first place. The point is that if one Lamia boy must die to prevent a war between Morchaint and Gondor then so be it."

"You mean because you'd be in the middle of it all?" Melenade glared at the big human in front of her.

"True." He nodded. "I must look to the peace of my own lands. That must come before two boys who are probably responsible for your father's death."

"That's not true." Melenade frowned.

"Enough, Princess." Handuin levelled a look at her which made her close her mouth on her next retort.

"What will Morchaint do when you kill Calter?" Oliver asked with more calm then he felt at the idea. Really the concept of it made his heart leap in his throat and he really didn't know why. Sure it was bad enough thinking about it but something about Calter made it physically painful to think about.

"What grounds does Morchaint really have to avenge a Gondorian boy and an outcast Lamia?" Handuin asked them in return. "They are orphans, they have no family."

"They have me." Oliver hissed.

"And you're wrong." Melenade told Handuin quietly. "If you kill Calter than the entire Morchaint army will devastate Rohan and Gondor."

"Nonsense." Handuin shook his head.

"Tell that to them when they arrive." Melenade glared but spun on her heels and Oliver had to hurry to catch up once again.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three hours later**

Oliver spotted the person he was looking for. It had taken a while but he'd managed to get directions to somebody in Edoras that could help him. A band of merchants from Morchaint currently staying in Edoras. He hadn't told Melenade what he was doing and it was better if she didn't get involved. He knocked on the door of the bunkroom in the tavern and a few seconds later it opened and he found himself being studied by a massively built man wearing a tattered travelling cloak. Oliver glanced to his right and then left before pushing the hood of his cloak back a little so that the man could view his face.

"What's a brat like you doing in a place like this?" The man asked gruffly.

"Looking for a quiet place to talk to you, sir." Oliver narrowed his eyes. The man raised his eyebrows, grinned slightly and moved to the side to let Oliver slip inside the well-lit room. Four other men sat around on bunks, three playing cards over a table while the last was pouring over maps.

"We've got a guest it seems." The man who had answered the door announced.

"Is it true that you are from Morchaint?" Oliver asked them all.

"What's it to you where we're from?" The man looking at the maps asked as he looked up. It was then that Oliver realised they were all wearing daggers at their hips. All armed even in a tavern room with locked doors.

"My name is Oliver Telcontar." Oliver drew himself up slightly but was well aware that if they decided to kill him he wouldn't be able to get his sword out from under his cloak in time to do anything but die with it in his hands. He found himself wishing that Calter was there to help. "Are you from Morchaint?"

"What if we are?" The map man asked, clearly their leader.

"Why would admitting to that be such a problem for you?" Oliver met his gaze with a harsh one.

"We're not wearing our weapons because they're comfortable to sleep in you know." The man from the door pointed out.

"So you are from Morchaint?" Oliver asked.

"Yes, we are." The leader nodded. "Roger Tellmyres. These are my men. We trade gems from the Forlindon Mountains west of Adurna to the human realms. Normally."

"That was until these bastards confiscated our stocks." A young guy snorted.

"So you'd be the supposedly dead Prince of Gondor then?" Roger asked. "The one that supposedly brought a Lamia boy with you to be executed?"

"No!" Oliver gaped. "I didn't bring him anywhere. He was helping my sister and I and we were captured when someone wiped out the patrol at the Waystation."

That got their attention, all five tensed up. "What's that you say?" The guy from the door whispered tersely.

"It was late at night and we needed a place to stay so were heading for the waystation but when we got there everybody was dead. No tracks." Oliver frowned. "Calter almost lost it at the smell of blood." That thought brought a lump to his throat, he knew well enough that Calter was losing his inhibitions when it came to blood and he was currently locked up in a cell with his human brother. If he lost control this would all be pointless. Something told Oliver that if Calter drained Lucus accidentally he'd find a way to kill himself.

"Why come to us, Prince?" Roger asked.

"The King wants to execute Calter. I need help to distract the dungeon guards so we can free them." Oliver told them simply.

"Die for a boy we don't even know?" One of the men playing cards asked with a raised eyebrow. "And even if we could do it all sneaky like it's going to be obvious who did it."

"Then I'll do it." The last man stood up tall and gracefully, surprising Oliver with his blatant admission.

"Leo..." Roger warned.

"You can't stop me, Roger." Leo pointed out. "The boy needs help and I have my own obligations. I'm grateful for you helping keep my cover but I was sent here to keep an eye on the Rohirrim because I'm good at pretending to be what I'm not. My Lady would want me to take the opportunity so I will."

Oliver frowned at the young looking man who had spoke so sternly to a man twice his age and Leo looked down at him and then opened his mouth just enough to show what he was. Oliver gulped and took half a step backwards at the sight of elongated fangs. He was a Vampire using the human traders to remain hidden in a city that was currently very anti-vampire and Lamia.

"Why?" Oliver asked.

"It's not the boy's fault he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and I have a duty." Leo told him.

"A duty to whom?" Oliver pressed.

"To myself." Leo stated simply. "When I wake up tomorrow morning I don't want to hear about an execution that I could have prevented."

"Thank you." Oliver nodded before looking at Roger. "You should leave the city tonight to avoid suspicion."

"They confiscated our stocks and most of our money." Roger pointed out.

"I'm the Prince of..." He stalled himself with a pained flinch. He wasn't Prince anymore. "I'll compensate you in time if you trust me."

Roger sighed and looked at Leo. "I'll make sure my mistress knows what you sacrificed."

"Bloody Vampires." Roger grumbled half heartedly. "We'll be gone in two hours. Don't do anything for five."

Leo nodded and Oliver waited for Leo as he gathered his personal items and then led him down the corridor into another room. One he broke into. "Listen kid, this is going to be hard to carry out. How far are you willing to take this?"

"How far?" Oliver swallowed thickly.

"I can try to knock them all out long enough for us to get in and back out again but humans stay down for longer when you kill them." Leo stated simply and Oliver flinched.

"I'd rather not kill anyone." Oliver told him. Leo frowned but nodded. "But if it comes to it..."

"At least you've got sense." Leo nodded in grudging respect. "We'll do this just after dark, that'll give the others time to get far enough away. I'll have to stay here afterwards and wait to be able to send a message back to my Mistress about what is happening. Will you go with them or stay here?"

"I think that Melenade and I are safer with Calter and Lucus than here. Somebody tried to kill us and the longer we stay lost the better until somebody finds out who." Oliver pointed out.

"You've got a good head on your shoulders." Leo nodded. "Have your sister ready in her rooms. We'll have to get her afterwards."

"Won't this cause problems if they find out a Vampire broke them out?" Oliver asked quietly. He didn't really want to convince Leo not to help him but he was curious.

"Gondor is shouting for war and Morchaint has already declared that if Rohan finds Calter then they're to bring him to them. If King Handuin kills Calter than Morchaint has decided to withdraw their allegiance with them." Leo explained. "Which will probably end with war. Rohan and Morchaint haven't been at war since they defeated the humans at the Hornburg."

"So either you let the Rohirrim execute Calter and start war or you help and Morchaint is accused of breaking him out and thus starts war regardless." Oliver nodded to show he understood.

"At least this way your friend lives." Leo shrugged. "And beyond that it's the right thing to do. The kid didn't have anything to do with your father's death. He's not even got wings yet. And I think you're the best person to know who is innocent of your father's death."

"When do I meet you?" Oliver asked.

"Meet me outside the upper stables at the evening bell." Leo told him. "Bring just yourself and your sword and wear travelling clothes and make sure your sister is ready to leave and that the King doesn't expect to see you until the morning. They'll be searching for the two in the dungeon pretty quickly and we don't want to add a panic about the two of you until a lot later."

"I'll be there." Oliver nodded and slipped out of the room, feeling much more self reliant than when he was being just a Prince.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That evening**

Calter sat crouched against the back wall of their cell with Lucus sitting against the side wall on his right. There were no windows but they'd both heard the bell chiming sunset about an hour ago so they knew it was night time. Calter was a little worried for his brother who was looking more and more exhausted. Neither of them had slept well since leaving Minas Tirith, nor when they were captured and riding on horseback towards Edoras. They'd slept the night before and probably would again tonight but with just a rock floor to sleep on it wasn't pleasant. Not to mention the damp misery that was the cell. Lucus would get sick soon and they hadn't given either of them any food or water since they'd arrived. Calter could survive that for a while. Lucus couldn't.

"You need to sleep." Calter told his brother.

"I can sleep when I'm dead." Lucus told him.

"Funny." Calter narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"Git." Lucus informed him simply. He was just about to head over to Calter to sleep since he'd only sleep knowing that Calter was next to him but the sound of a door unlocking out of sight caught their attention. Calter tensed his leg muscles as two soldiers came into view behind the bars that made up their fourth wall.

"What?" Calter asked, not in the mood for pleasantries.

"Watch your tongue, boy." One of the men sneered at him.

"Great, what is it about cell guards that make them like that?" Lucus asked him.

"We've been in too many cells lately, Lucus." Calter sighed before looking up at the two adult humans. "What do you want?"

"To inform you that your verdict has been decided." The man told them.

"Funny, I don't remember being asked any questions." Lucus commented.

"Be quiet you scum-lover." The second man hissed with an angry look. "You're just as bad as he is. Betraying your own country for this monster!"

"Calter isn't a monster and I didn't betray my country." Lucus rose to his feet, almost ebbing fury from his eyes. "Our country betrayed us. Call me a scum-lover if you want but I love my brother so you can go fuck yourselves."

The man drew his sword but the other man pushed it down with a gloved hand. "Don't waste your time." He pointed out. "They hang in the morning anyway."

"I wonder how long it takes a monster to die when they hang." The second man sneered.

"You're supposed to be allies with the Vampires and Lamia of Morchaint." Calter frowned. "This kind of bigotry was supposed to have died along with the War of the One Ring."

"Oh so the orphan thinks he's an expert on us humans now does he?" The second man mocked.

Calter was about to respond when there was a clattering sound from down the corridor and a startled cry from the distance. The two men spun to face the door and the first man moved just out of Calter's view while the other watched after him with his sword drawn and ready.

"_Calter, do it now. Act now!"_ The voice echoed in his mind. Harry, his blood, telling him to act. Calter swallowed thickly but delayed until the man took a step as if to follow his friend. This _was_ his only chance to help them. Calter leapt forwards, using his crouched position to cut down on his delay. He slammed into the bars of the cage, reached through and grabbed the second man's back and wrenched him back against the bars. The man cried out in shock but Calter wasn't strong enough to actually break him against the bars.

The first man spun in surprise and his eyes widened as he saw Calter's hand gripping his friend around the throat and his other arm holding the soldier's arm back through the bars. His sword was lying forgotten on the ground and his human eyes stared out in shock at what had just happened to him. Blood leaked from where Calter was holding his neck and before Calter could prepare himself the smell of it and the sight of it pumping slowly out of shallow cuts hit him full force.

His fangs appeared through his open lips but he was brought out of his shock when the first man raised his sword to strike. Calter knew he was too much of a target but his predator instincts came into play and with a jerk he tore away his right arm and dodged back into the cell, his right hand covered with blood that dripped onto the floor.

Chaos ensued as the second man collapsed to his knees, missing the front of his throat. Blood sprayed from his neck across the corridor of the dungeons and the first man stared in shock as his friend died and fell forwards onto his face. He worked his jaw before tightening his grip on his sword. He fumbled for his keys and Calter moved between the barred door and his shocked brother as the key entered the lock and turned. The door swung open on its own but the first soldier didn't utter a word and merely stood there.

Calter stared at him waiting for him to move but Lucus was clear headed and frowned in confusion that was cleared up as the man dropped face first through the door of the cell and a smaller man appeared in his place holding a dagger.

Calter hissed at the sudden change and his body began reassessing his competition for his current prey hiding behind him. It didn't occur to him that he was suddenly considering Lucus as prey and he fisted his hands ready to fight this newcomer for rights on his blood. The smell and feel of hot blood on his own right hand hazed his common sense and the smell of pints of blood pouring down the corridor didn't help.

"Calm down, Calter." The strange new man stepped over the body and Calter hissed and reached back and gripped Lucus' arm in his own, protecting his meal and keeping it where he knew it should be. Calter risked a foolish glance back but didn't manage to straighten his gaze before he was being thrown back across the cell and held against the wall. Hands restrained his own completely and a strong body pinned him to the wall.

"Calter, you have to calm down." Another voice broke through his haze but this time he recognised it and when he snapped back to reality he saw Oliver standing in the corridor of the dungeons watching him in concern.

The man released him and Calter fell to his knees as he stared out of the bars and at the torn apart throat of the solider. "He didn't deserve that." Calter whispered to himself.

"You can't blame yourself for doing what needed to be done." The strange man, Vampire, told him and hoisted him to his feet. "Nor can we waste time." He grabbed his right hand and poured water over it and scrubbed it on a rag to clean off the blood. Calter instantly felt a little more clearheaded and he sought out Lucus and locked eyes with him.

"We have to go." Lucus nodded before looking at the newcomer. "Who are you?"

"My name is Leo." The Vampire declared. "Your friend here came looking for help. I was willing to give it. You shouldn't be here and the sooner you're not the better."

"Thank you." Lucus told him.

Calter followed Leo out of the cell and they slipped through the corridors passing unconscious soldiers on the way until Calter and Lucus breathed in fresh Rohan air once again. The streets were quiet at this time and they went unnoticed. Oliver slipped away and Leo led Calter and Lucus to a small alleyway with four loaded bags ready to go. He gave them both a canteen of water and food to eat and discard there before he slipped away.

Oliver arrived before he got back with Melenade in tow and she surprised Lucus and Calter by throwing herself at them both at the same time. They caught her on reflex and Lucus embraced her back before she pulled away with a wrinkled nose. "You both stink." She declared with a grin.

Calter decided it was best not to mention all he could smell was the blood residue on his hand and could only focus truly on what he'd felt tearing out a person's throat. It had barely taken an effort on his behalf and even less thought. How could Lucus ever look at him knowing he was such a monster?

Oliver gently embraced Lucus and then Calter but Calter kept himself rigid and refused to move a muscle in case he hurt him. If Oliver noticed his reluctance he didn't comment on it. Leo slipped into the alleyway and motioned for them to grab their bags. Three were slightly larger for the boys and Melenade's was slightly smaller. Calter could take more weight as they used up supplies. They followed him to one of the side gates where Leo had already knocked out the watchmen and soon Leo was wishing them luck and slipping back through the gates, shutting them out in the dark of the world.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	4. Awakening

Tuureamindo

A/N; This chapter contains the first of a long series of **SLASH** scenes. This one in this story is obvious in coming and will not be marked further than this warning as you were all warned when I first posted this story.

Chapter 4; Awakening

**The next night**

They walked as quick as they could with Calter keeping away from the others by scouting out ahead of them, moving from rolling hill to rolling hill to give them early warning of roaming herders and although he didn't think Lucus or Oliver were fooled he hoped they didn't realise it was because he didn't trust himself with them right now. They were heading in a generally north western direction but in reality they were just heading away from Edoras as quickly as possible. Calter had heard the distant sound of a warning bell an hour after they'd left but they'd already been far enough away for it not to worry him too much.

They settled down amongst a boulder field as it started to get dark because they were all getting a bit tired and even though it would have been safer to force themselves on another night both Calter and Lucus were feeling weak and although Calter could have continued Lucus was looking about ready to drop. Oliver and Melenade offered to take the watches so that Calter and Lucus could get a proper night's sleep and they were too tired to argue it. They didn't risk rolling out bedding and Melenade laid down in the eve of a boulder with her brother sitting on the top.

Calter settled down next to his brother in the eve of another rock but his eyes caught it when Lucus rolled his wrist with a wince and his other hand came up to grip his forearm. Calter sat up and his hands reached out to Lucus who moved his hands out of the way. "Lucus, you're hurt!" Calter frowned and heard movement as Oliver moved towards them.

"It's nothing, Cal." Lucus assured him but Calter wasn't convinced and snagged Lucus' hand gently with his own and Lucus gave up with a small sigh and let Calter pull up his sleeve. Calter gasped and rocked backwards, letting his human brother go. "It's not your fault, Cal!" Lucus complained as Oliver studied the hand shaped red marking on Lucus' arm. It was sore and almost looked ready to force blood through his skin. If Calter had gripped even just a little harder he would have torn off the skin. Calter trembled and stood up and Lucus scrambled to follow.

Calter kept his back to his brother as he cried and only sat back down when Lucus and Oliver both forced him to. Lucus hugged him from behind and rocked him and Calter let his sorrow out. Oliver moved back to his watching sister only after Lucus got Calter to lie down and he lay behind him and wrapped his injured arm over onto his front. Calter took his hand gently in his own. "I could have really hurt you."

"Your body's changing." Lucus whispered back. "Just like when you were eight and you broke the door when you slammed it. You can't be expected to recognise every small change in your strength or anything else that changes."

"I should have known it could hurt you to grip you like that." Calter argued.

"You were half blood crazed and defending me against a Vampire." Lucus pointed out.

"I was defending a potential meal." Calter whispered back and felt Lucus tense up. He let go of his brother's hand so he could roll away from him but a second later Lucus was searching for his hand and gripping it back in his own as he tightened his grip on him.

"It's not your fault you're built like that." Lucus assured him. "And no matter what happens I know you love me. I'm your brother and nothing's going to change that."

"Lucus..." Calter sighed and shut his eyes and before he could think of anything else to say his brother's breathing evened out as he slipped into sleep. Calter was quick to follow.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

They kept heading north after their first short night out under the stars once more. They paused at the southern tip of the Mountains that broke the west countries in two to rest for an entire night and so that they could all bathe and recover themselves but it was obvious as they travelled that Calter was starting to get sick. The others, now well used to hiking with weights on their backs started to realise that Calter wasn't having to wait for them at the top of slopes anymore and then, seven days after leaving Edoras, they realised for the first time that they were having to slow for Calter.

Lucus tried to comment on it once but Calter cut him off by forcing himself to walk faster and when Melenade tried to tell him to slow down he rounded on her with a hiss of anger that had Oliver stepping in front of her in concern. Calter saw the effect and turned his back on them to continue their forced march.

They'd decided to skirt the massive forest of Fangorn and then follow the River Anduin up to the Pass of Domia which Oliver felt was the safest way for them to get into Morchaint without the Rohirrim or Gondorians catching up to them. Hopefully the dwellers of Domia would accept their passage because there was no sneaking past Domia, not when the city could see you coming from a thousand miles away. Cutting around Fangorn wasn't a decision made lightly since the forest would have given them shelter and food and take them days less to cut through but Oliver told them tales passed down to him by his father of Fangorn's Ents and their hatred of Lamia and Vampires. None of them wanted to risk taking Calter through the forest.

As sunset approached on the eighth day Calter finally caved to the agony building in his torso and his vision blurred. When he refocused he was a lot closer to the ground and his knees hurt where he'd landed on them. Oliver and Lucus crashed down beside him as he retched up his meagre food and he felt smaller hands prying away his backpack. He suddenly felt so much lighter but that didn't give him the ability to stand.

"We'll have to stay here." Oliver sighed. "He's too weak."

"I can still hear you, you know?" Calter argued.

"Stay here for a minute." Lucus dropped his own pack and slipped up over a rise to find them a place to sleep for the night. Calter sagged, knowing that he'd been defeated and Oliver wrapped his arms around him to hold him up.

"I'm sorry." Calter found himself apologising.

"You changing isn't something you need to apologise for." Oliver jerked his arms slightly for emphases. "It needs to happen at some point. Obviously I could think of a thousand better times and places for it but if this is when it has to happen then so be it."

"You're calm." Calter pointed out.

"Of course I am." Oliver chuckled. "I'm a Prince after all."

"You're a King not a Prince." Calter corrected and turned tired eyes on the other boy and dropped his head. Oliver caught his forehead against his own and held his head up so their eyes were only a fraction apart.

"I'm just a kid." Oliver whispered to him. "I don't know what I'm doing any more than you do."

"You three should leave me here." Calter told him and continued before Oliver could answer. "What happens when I change and need blood?"

"We have cups." Oliver told him. "Lucus and I have talked about this. Taking our blood from cups will have to do for you."

"I..." Calter frowned. He hadn't even considered that and it sounded so simple but right now just thinking about their blood made him focus on the blood capillaries in Oliver's eyes. "What if I get a taste and want it fresh from the tap?"

"Human's donate blood that way all the time." Oliver told him. "Even Melenade is willing."

Calter shook his head. "What if I can't stop?"

"We have faith that you'll learn when you have to." Oliver sighed just as Lucus reappeared.

"It's not much." Lucus announced as he hefted his pack and Calter's. "A small stream and a flat bit of grass but it'll have to do."

"By not much you mean we'll have to run if we hear people approaching." Oliver sighed and stood up, lifting Calter up with him. "You're lighter than I remember."

"He's supposed to be able to fly soon you know." Melenade commented, settling herself on Calter's other side to steady him. It was slow going and by the time they arrived Calter was extremely tired and Oliver was panting with strain but they lowered him down with his back to a pack. He sat in silence as Oliver started a small fire to heat food over and the smell of cooking food made him feel hungrier than he could imagine ever being but the hungry feeling wasn't in his stomach but came as a tightness in his throat.

Oliver presented him with a bowl of stew about half an hour later in the rapidly forming darkness and Melenade sat beside him with her own. Lucus and Oliver sat facing them as Calter slowly ate his food. He lost his appetite after only a few bites and had trouble keeping it down until eventually he forced himself up and over to the stream and emptied his stomach again. When he sat back down Oliver offered him his bowl back and Calter weakly shook his head.

"I don't think I can stomach it." Calter whispered as if it spelled his doom. "Guy said that one of the first physical differences is I'll go off normal food before I change."

"So all you want now is..." Melenade started but Calter covered her mouth.

"Please don't say it." He begged.

"Maybe we should try it?" Lucus suggested looking at Oliver questioningly.

"I told him about it." Oliver nodded before looking at Calter who looked sick at the idea and shook his head. "Don't leave it too late, Cal. Better you drink it from a cup sooner rather than losing control later." The idea of that made Calter look even more ill.

"Can you sleep?" Lucus asked him and Calter shrugged but didn't make a move to lie down. He felt like if he did he'd change and there was a deep rooted foreboding in him about it like it would be the last thing that he ever did.

Part of him wanted them to know about his dream and he made up his mind to tell them then and there. In case he didn't survive this change. "I need to tell you guys something."

"Go on." Oliver didn't look concerned.

"Lucus? You remember back in Minas Tirith when I..." He winced and glanced at Oliver and Melenade. They'd never brought up the two guards he'd killed but he knew Lucus had mentioned it before. Lucus nodded and so did Oliver and Melenade. "When I was about to bite the second one..."

"But stopped yourself." Lucus pointed out.

"Somebody told me to stop." Calter told Lucus, staring at him. "He was the one that told me to send Guy and Ben away on the wall. He told me that if I bit that man then I wouldn't have the control to stop myself biting you as well."

"Some kind of inner voice?" Melenade asked as if she wasn't calling him insane.

"I don't think it's got anything to do with my mind. I tried to forget about it but he was there when I killed that slaver and then when we were in Edoras I dreamt about a Lamia." Calter frowned down at his lap. "He had the same voice."

"Lamia have powers." Oliver nodded. "Telepathy is quite a common one. They use it to communicate between their armies and cities. It beats sending riders. It's range dependant though, especially to someone they've never met. I didn't think any of the scouts had powers like that though."

Calter shook his head. "Only one could move water. That was it. They told me powers were getting rarer though nobody knew why."

"So did this Lamia tell you his name?" Oliver asked.

"You believe it was another person and I wasn't just dreaming?" Calter asked.

"What do you believe?" Oliver asked.

"I think it was somebody else." Calter nodded with a begging look.

"That's good enough for me." Lucus declared and Oliver chuckled and nodded as well.

"He told me his name was Harry Corvil." Calter whispered and all three of them jerked in shock.

"Well I'm guessing you never met him." Lucus pointed out and Calter let his head fall back against the pack.

"Harry Corvil and the Nuuruhuine were so powerful." Oliver shook his head. "They were powerful enough when they came here when they were only a few hundred years old. When the Necromancers were finally destroyed they were all about twenty-two hundred years old. If he is still alive now then Harry Corvil would be about three thousand two hundred years old."

"Was Harry Corvil telepathic?" Lucus asked.

"Technically not as the Lamia class it now but all of the Lamia had the ability to project their thoughts, even across the entire world." Oliver lectured. "He'd easily be able to find a single Lamia's mind across Middle-Earth and create a dream in order to speak to them."

"How do you know so much about them?" Calter asked him.

"My family has a duty to the Corvil line." Oliver told him. "Ever since Aragorn the Ranger took back the throne. Harry Corvil blessed his first son, Eldarion, and from then on every Telcontar has upheld the duty to protect the Corvil line."

"Good job." Lucus snorted before he could stop himself.

"After Harry Corvil vanished the rest of his family went into hiding. Nobody knows what happened to them and after a few were found and killed by human separatists it was thought that they all had died." Oliver shrugged and then sighed. "The Corvil line are supposed to protect our line also."

"And they've done a brilliant job there too." Lucus sighed.

"He told me I had to protect you and that you'd feel obliged to protect me." Calter spoke up as he looked at Oliver and then at Melenade who stared at him in shock even as Lucus' eyes widened. "I feel it. Do you?"

Melenade and Oliver looked from Calter to each other and then back to him and Oliver's face morphed into a grin. "We definitely felt it!" Oliver laughed.

"It was horrible in Edoras!" Melenade stared at Calter. "All we could think about was what was happening to you. It was making us physically sick."

"You're kidding me!" Lucus stared between the three. "You're a Corvil?"

Calter flinched so badly that Lucus jerked in surprise. "I didn't know!" Calter complained and Lucus was sitting next to him in seconds with his arm around his shoulders.

"I didn't mean it like that." Lucus promised. "I'm just shocked is all. Why did you end up there though?"

"I don't know." Calter shook his head. "He didn't tell me."

"What about others?" Oliver asked.

Calter shook his head. "He said it was just him, Alex and I."

"Alex?" Lucus looked at Oliver for an explanation knowing that Calter knew as little as he did about this. Apart from what he'd learned in his dream.

"Everyone talks about it being Harry's line." Oliver smiled slightly. "Really its Alex's as well. He's Harry's husband I suppose. Soulmate. Lamia can have children like that if they really want to."

"A man and a man?" Lucus frowned.

Oliver shrugged. "It's their child born from a woman."

"So one of them impregnated a woman?" Lucus asked.

"It's something about Lamia magic." Oliver shook his head. "When the decision is made and they find a willing volunteer she can harbour a child made from both Lamia which isn't any part hers."

"That's strange." Calter muttered.

"And not really relevant to the situation." Melenade giggled making Lucus and Oliver blush slightly. "Calter needs rest and so do we. I'll take the first watch."

Calter felt guilty for them silently deciding he was to sleep the entire night but he was so tired that he barely managed to lie down before he drifted off to sleep.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Several hours later**

Calter gasped as his body thrummed with energy. He shot out of sleep but barely managed to get into a sitting position before his energy vanished and he slumped back down. He whimpered as pain began to build in his chest and he thrashed. His fist hit rock and the dull thud echoed across their little camp waking Oliver and Melenade and making Lucus jump where he'd been sitting on watch.

His hips arched off of the ground as his shoulders tried to rub into the ground below him as the pain began to centre in his back. Hands pushed down on his hips to hold him still and his eyes snapped around to lock onto Oliver. Oliver was safety, he could be there. His mind accepted him. His eyes flashed around again. Melenade was like Oliver, they were meant to protect him and his mind and body was happy that they wouldn't hurt him. His eyes flashed to hit Lucus. He wasn't tied to protect him but he was his human brother, he couldn't hurt him either.

His mind's protective instincts calmed and as they did the pain blossomed through his chest. His ribs felt like they were flexing and his legs kicked out in response to the feeling. He whimpered again as his head filled with a throbbing sensation and as every noise the three humans made increased into a near deafening buzz of sound. The embers of their fire burned brightly against his eyes and he knew this was the last day he was just a Lamia child.

He panicked briefly and three sets of hands pinned him down. _'Calm down, Ietittar.'_ Harry's voice whispered into his mind soothingly. _'It'll only hurt the more if you fight it.'_

He tried to calm himself down but the sensations in his back made just lying like this uncomfortable and he tried to move, pushing his back away from the ground. "Move him." Melenade ordered as she grabbed one of his arms to roll him over. He was so weak that his thrashing limbs weren't strong enough to hurt them anymore. Oliver and Lucus helped her and Oliver caught on as he helped her pull his shirt off of his arms until his bare back came into view. Blood had already soaked the shirt and as they threw it aside they saw the dark blood running down Calter's spine from two lines down between his shoulder blades. Melenade used rags to clear away the blood but Calter screamed in pain when she so much as touched the two incisions with the rag.

Lucus shifted to sit with Calter's head in his lap as his brother began crying in pain and he braced his shoulders even as Calter wrapped his arms around him. Needing to grip onto something. Oliver kept weight on Calter's lower back in an attempt to prevent Calter from writhing too much and Melenade kept dabbing at the blood so that it didn't soak Calter.

Over the next few minutes they saw no change but then the incisions began to grow, spreading down his back and along the back of Calter's shoulder blades and by the cries of pain from Calter they knew that it hurt. He was muttering between his breaths, seemingly talking to someone and it didn't take them long to realise that he was talking to Harry Corvil, or at least who Calter thought was Harry Corvil. As the incisions widened it became clear what was going to happen. His wings were going to fold out of the cuts and Calter's back was already looking misshapen as his wings grew along the back of his ribs. It was clearly quite a painful experience and Calter was starting to bury his face into Lucus' lap to escape the rest of the world as he tried to control his whimpers and force his body to relax.

Oliver saw the smallest flash of something inside one of the long curved incisions when a scuffing sound reached him over Calter's whimpers and he got only a second's warning before a blade was passed in front of his face. The flat of it pushed against his neck and Oliver stiffened and moved backwards as he gasped out a warning. Melenade screamed in fright as she turned and saw the figure with his blade to her brother's throat and Lucus tensed as a blade appeared against his own neck.

Calter was too far gone to know whether he knew anything was happening. His face was still buried in Lucus' lap but without Oliver holding him down he was writhing against the ground. "Now, look what we managed to find?" Another man chuckled. "And they didn't think they'd come this way."

Oliver looked them over, they were definitely humans but they wore dark travelling clothes and he couldn't see any insignias in the dark. The blade at his throat twitched and turned edge on. "Looks like we're right on time to deal with that though." The man holding Oliver at bay laughed.

"It does seem an opportune moment." The first man chuckled and moved closer, eyeing Melenade. "The creature and the brat can die here. Our orders say to take the Prince and Princess back with us to the King."

Oliver twisted his head away from the blade at the mention of killing his two friends like they were nothing. Calter whimpered and his arms gripped Lucus tight enough to make his human friend wince and press down on Calter's shoulders. "Looks like we should put him out of his misery." The man holding Lucus at bay laughed and moved his blade towards Calter.

"Probably best." The first man nodded and stepped forwards as well, lowering his blade ready to execute Calter where he lay defenceless and in pain.

"No!" Melenade cried and Calter stilled completely.

'_Calter, now!'_ A voice throbbed through Calter's mind and he leapt into movement before any of the others could brace themselves to do anything. Pain shot through him like nothing else before but he pressed through it. His fist smashed into the face of the man holding Lucus before he spun to avoid the blade that tried to hit him from the first man. A second later Calter leapt towards Oliver's captor and slammed them both back over Oliver's head. Calter had the man held in his grip and the blade fell forgotten to the ground as Calter focused on one thing. His sudden and unquenchable need for blood.

And this time no voice tried to stop him. His head snaked forwards and his fangs punctured painfully into the side of the man's neck. There was no finesse or care for his prey, if it was in pain it couldn't fight back. He heard a cry of anger from behind him and his senses told him that somebody wanted to stop him from feeding and was leaping towards him. Pain shattered through his body as his wings opened on reflex and bloodied appendages too weak to be used properly slammed out of his back and slammed open, catching the attacker full on and throwing him across the camp. They folded naturally and Calter focused back on the life giving bliss flowing into his fangs as he drained the now limp man in his arms. Holding him up effortlessly.

"Calter! Stop!" A voice was telling him but his wings could only twitch angrily in warning. He didn't _want_ to hurt the owner of that voice but he wasn't going to lose his meal either. What did it matter if he killed this man? They were going to kill Lucus and him anyway so it was only fitting. The body died in his arms but he fed from it for a few more moments after the heart stopped and then pulled his fangs out and let go of the body. He slowly turned around and his wild eyes made Oliver and Lucus blanch and Melenade hide behind her brother.

There was something in their eyes that slammed into him. Horror, fear or something close to them. He staggered as he tried to take a step forwards and his vision blurred as his knees hit the ground. He felt his wings twitch and they set him off balance so that he had to catch himself on one arm. Pain lanced through his back and he could feel blood running down his back and soaking into his trousers. Somebody moved in his peripheral and he heard the scrape of metal against the ground before the shape launched itself at him. He fell to his side and tried to stand to defend himself. He hissed and his body focused on the man's neck even as the blade came up to slash at him. He heard Lucus, Oliver and Melenade cry out in shock but then the heavy thud of a bow followed an instant later by the soft fleshy thud of an arrow sinking through leather armour and into flesh. The man staggered sideways in shock and his blade fell before he keeled over onto the ground.

Calter fell flat on his face, his body feeling heavy with the wings folded over his back, tripling his physical size if not his actual weight. He was exhausted and as he tried to focus on anything at all he felt hands on him and a body move under his head as somebody put his head into his lap. He didn't feel any compulsion at all to attack this person and he relaxed and felt the person, Lucus, relax in response.

"We mean you no harm." A soft voice announced from somewhere behind him and Calter tensed again and made to try to rise.

"They're elves." Lucus whispered to him. "Five of them."

"Why are you here?" Oliver demanded from the same direction as the elf. Calter turned his head and saw Oliver with a sword in his hand with Melenade behind him, nearer to Calter and Lucus. Lucus had a sword in his own hand.

"Our King sent us this way to find your party. A group from Morchaint are scouting down the western side of the mountains and scouting parties from Rohan are travelling north like this scouting party." One of the Elves standing in a line in front of Oliver explained. "Our orders were to find and assist you to the safety or our lands."

"Why?" Oliver asked.

"Because you and your sister are members of the Morchaint Council." The Elf stated simply. "And because King Legolas has ordered us to protect the Lamia youngling."

"We should not remain here." Another Elf spoke up. "Other parties are on the approach."

"Can he be moved?" The first elf asked.

"How do you think we should know?" Oliver asked in astonishment.

"He's still bleeding pretty badly from his back." Lucus told them and Calter rolled his shoulders and hissed in pain. He felt Lucus touch between his new wings and slide his hand down across the bottom of the joint, where the incision still ran down his back. Now that the wings were out the incisions were longer than the joint. As soon as Lucus touched near the incision pain flashed through Calter's back and he whimpered and shook. "And he's very sore."

"Bastard." Calter grunted at Lucus' amusement. "Get me up."

Lucus laughed weakly but grabbed Calter's old shirt and wiped at Calter's still partially hidden face. Calter whimpered in horror when he realised why his brother was doing that. His mouth and chin were covered in blood and Lucus wanted to let him wash it off before he stood. Tears fell from his face and Lucus ran a hand through his hair and leaned in. "It's not your fault that happened. If you hadn't done it we'd all be dead."

Calter still couldn't stop himself from feeling ashamed though and when firm hands settled under his arms and lifted him he let them without argument even though he knew they were Elves and not his friends. They held him between them as an Elf gently ran her hands around his bloodied wings. "We need to put a bandage around his lower back and shoulders or he may bleed to death." She told them all and Calter stood in silence as she wove white cloth around his lower torso and around his chest, gritting his teeth with small whimpers of pain as they pressed down on his incisions.

His eyes started to shut on their own accord before she'd finished and Oliver, Lucus and Melenade watched him in silence after gathering all of their things and splitting them between the Elves to carry so they could travel faster. He knew he wouldn't be able to walk on his own, or even stay conscious right now but the two Elves seemed happy to hold him up as he stopped being able to hold any of his own weight. His eyes slipped shut and he tried to open them again only to fail.

'_It's okay, Calter.'_ Harry's voice told him but for the first time it was soothing and didn't bring any pain with it. _'You changed perfectly. The incisions just take time to heal over naturally. You can trust the Elves. These ones don't know who you are but their King does. Sleep now, Ietittar.'_

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few days later**

Calter gasped awake and his body flinched at the remembered feeling of pain and the flinch caused real pain to rip through his back making him whimper out as his eyes flashed open to see a bright light shining in front of him. Hands settled on his shoulders and pressed him down to keep him still. He was lying face down on a soft bed with his head turned to the right looking out of a large window. He could smell a lot of things, his own blood was the most obvious, closely followed by Lucus' scent and then trees and plants. Richer than he'd ever smelt them before.

He lifted his head and hissed as it made pain spark through his back but it was worth it to see Lucus even though he only got a glimpse before Lucus shifted and moved next to the bed so that Calter could set his head back down on his nice comfy pillow and still see Lucus. "What happened?" He muttered.

Lucus laughed and leaned in and gently picked up one of his hands and Lucus realised they were folding up under his chest comfortably. "We're with the Elves in Lothlorien, you've been out of it for two days. The elves had horses waiting nearby so we managed to outrun the Rohirrim scouting parties."

"Oliver and Melenade?" Calter asked.

"Sleeping." Lucus smiled. "We've been taking turns watching you."

"I don't need watching." Calter grumbled making Lucus laugh and Calter tried to push himself up only to send pain through him again.

"You have to take it easy, Cal." Lucus sighed. "The incisions almost split your back into three pieces. They're healing but they're not there yet. They only stopped bleeding yesterday."

The reminder of the incisions made Calter realise that the weight on his back wasn't just the bandages that he could feel around his torso and he tried to twist to see the wings but Lucus put his hands firmly on his shoulder. "You have to lie still." Lucus said slowly as if trying to get a small child to understand.

"I want to see my wings!" Calter complained.

"They're beautiful." Lucus smiled at him.

"I don't want to be told! I want to see!" Calter glared as his friend laughed but he watched him move and his irritation made his back twitch. It hurt but he saw something move in his peripheral but he couldn't see them properly and every attempt he'd made to twist his head had just hurt all the more. Lucus hefted a mirror up to where he'd been sitting and Calter gasped as he saw himself in the mirror, lying on his front with a carpet of feathers over his back. They were a rich blood red colour that almost looked like burning embers. He stared in shock at them and Lucus appeared in the mirror sitting by his head and he lifted his head and Lucus shifted to sit with his head in his lap. Lucus' hands moved and very lightly stroked along the top of the blood red carpet and Calter felt it. It was like somebody running their fingers lightly over the small hairs on the back of your neck and Calter purred even before realising what he was doing.

Lucus smiled at him in the mirror but just kept lightly stroking his wings. "You're not freaked out, Luc?" Calter whispered.

"You'll always be my brother, Cal." Lucus smiled at him in the mirror. "I knew one day you'd change and I made peace with it before I can really remember. You were always my Lamia best friend and brother in everything but blood and I hope that you'll let me donate for you."

"Lucus..." Calter shut his eyes remembering the feeling of the man dying under his hands as he drained his blood.

"No, Cal." Lucus put his hand on the back of his neck. "I trust you and I know you'll never hurt me. This world's been out to hurt us both since before we can remember but we've always had each other and I don't ever want that to change. I want you to take blood from me when you need it because I'd rather that then you having to trust some stranger."

Calter had to admit that now he thought about it taking Lucus' blood sounded so appealing to him but not because it was blood, right now he didn't even feel even a little hungry. He wanted to take Lucus' blood because it was Lucus and he loved him because his brother had always been there.

"We were always finding food for each other." Calter smiled at the mirror image of his friend.

"The Elves suggested that once you're able to move around that you feed from Oliver, Melenade or me." Lucus told him.

"But I don't feel hungry." Calter frowned.

"They say it's best to learn restraint when you don't require the blood." Lucus winced. "I'm not worried about you taking too much even when you're desperate but maybe it'll help you understand your own restraint."

"And if I do lose control?" Calter asked.

"The elves have already offered to have a few of them around to physically pull you away if we need them too." Lucus told him and Calter relaxed.

'_And I can aid your restraint.'_ Harry's voice echoed through his mind making Calter flinch in surprise. He whimpered as it strained his back.

"Cal?" Lucus asked in concern.

"Harry made me jump." Calter grumbled. "Git!"

"Cal!" Lucus gasped in shock. "That's the leader of the Nuuruhuine! You can't call him a git!"

"If he's my grandfather I can call him anything I like!" Calter grumbled only for his mind to fill with rich, happy, laughter.

'_That you can, Ietittar.'_ Harry told him softly. _'I apologise for making you jump but you are healing well. I am sending you some friends that I trust from Morchaint. They will intercept your party on the way to Mirkwood and protect you. You can trust them but I'm afraid they're a little hyperactive. Playful you could say.'_

"What about Oliver and Melenade? And Lucus?"

'_Stick together.'_ Harry told him. _'The world is falling into war and I don't trust any of the sides completely. That is why I am being forced to aid you in only this limited way.'_

"Will I meet you?"

'_You will slowly head to me.'_ Harry told him. _'But your safety comes first and always will.'_

"You're real right?" Calter asked sadly.

'_As real as anything else.'_ Harry assured him. _'Then again any figment of your imagination could tell you that.'_

"Prove it then." Calter demanded.

'_You sound like your Grandfather.'_ Harry chuckled referring to Alex presumably. _'The four I send to you will take the form of four cats. When you see them you will know that I exist outside of your own mind.'_

"But you could still be anyone." Calter sighed weakly. "You could be someone trying to hurt me."

'_Ietittar...'_ Harry sighed. _'On that I cannot convince you. I am your Grandfather many times Great but I cannot prove that with action or words. You will know it in your heart when we finally meet as all Lamia know their family by scent. Until then you will have to trust in other family ties to comfort you. Lucus especially, who is getting rather concerned by your sadness. Be well, Ietittar... Calter...'_

With that the voice went silent and Calter turned his head into Lucus' lap and told him everything that Harry had told him as Lucus soothed him by gently stroking his wing feathers, everywhere that he could reach from where he was sitting. "That feels ridiculously good." Calter grumbled into Lucus' lap making the human boy chuckle.

"We kind of discovered it by accident." Lucus chuckled and Calter grumbled when he stopped 'petting' him. Lucus started again. "When the wings came out they were covered in blood and this messy stuff. We couldn't do anything about it till we got here when the Elves put you in water to clean the incisions and Oliver, Melenade and I cleaned all the mess off of your wings. You've been a bit restless since you changed but you always calm down while we cleaned them."

Calter grumbled pleasantly and looked back at himself in the mirror. "You're like a cat." Lucus chuckled feeling the little shakes going through his brother at the touch of his hand on his feathers. "But they are really beautiful, Calter."

"They are." Calter sighed. "I can feel that they're there and I can feel your hand but I can't move them. Do you think something's wrong with them?"

He couldn't stop the concern from showing in his voice and Lucus touched his shoulders and very carefully moved his hand to the small bit of skin visible between the folded wings. Closed as they were you had to slide your hand down his spine but he pressed lightly being careful of the visible incisions around the joints but Calter saw the effect even as he felt his body twitch. There was a spike of pain but watching his wings jerk like they were irritated at the touch overcame any pain and he grinned. "They work just fine, Cal." Lucus told him. "But the muscles are in your back, down the back of your ribs according to the Elves. You have to learn to control them voluntarily and then build them up."

"So I can't fly?" Calter whined playfully.

"Nope." Lucus grinned. "You're grounded like the rest of us!"

"I'd rather be with you then up in the air, Lucus." Calter turned his head back into his friend's lap. "You need looking out for after all."

"You git." Lucus laughed. "Oh, I almost forgot." Lucus touched the back of his neck and pulled at something that Calter hadn't noticed before and he felt something slide out from under his chest where his hands and arms were. He turned to look and stared wide-eyed at what Lucus had pulled out. "The Elves replaced the chain for me and I thought I'd put it back on you. You've been holding it since I put it back on."

"Lucus..." Calter smiled and brought his arms around to hug his friend's waist. Hanging around his neck was the thinnest silver chain he'd ever seen and on the end, now lying against his upper arm was the flat bronze pendant that Lucus had made him and etched his name into when they were eight.

"The Elves gave me a chain for mine too to replace the string strap." Lucus told him and Calter felt his body shift and knew he was playing with the same pendant that Calter had etched his own name into. Finally they could both wear them again. Calter couldn't be happier than he was right then and there.

Calter drifted off into a light sleep and was woken up several hours later to see that the mirror had been moved and Lucus, Oliver and Melenade were eating a meal around a table. He watched them in silence without alerting them that he was awake which failed when Melenade looked his way and saw his silver eyes staring back at her. A small trace of their emerald colour flickered through the enticing silver and she smiled at him with her pale blue eyes that she and Oliver shared.

She leapt off of her seat and the twelve year old girl encased his head and shoulders in a hug. Calter chuckled but it didn't hurt to move his shoulder much anymore. "Hello, Mel." He whispered.

"Do you want food?" Melenade asked as she pulled back.

Calter shook his head. "I don't feel even a little like eating."

"So we can safely assume your need for human food has gone." Oliver smiled as he moved closer and hugged Calter a little more carefully. "It's really good to see you awake again, Cal. We've missed you."

"Oh, and Mel had an interesting dream last night." Lucus spoke up without getting up from his food.

"You know I mentioned that she has an ability to see the truth of things in her dreams?" Oliver asked and Calter nodded. It amazed him but Oliver and Melenade were both very slightly part Elf from about a thousand years back. According to them occasionally the females in their family had powers close to Seeing.

"I saw you talking to a Lamia with black wings and black hair and really pretty green eyes. Like yours are sometimes." She grinned. "You were standing on a balcony. He was calling you Ietittar. What's that mean?"

"You saw the dream I had of him back in Rohan." Calter frowned.

"But only one Lamia could have wings that black and hair and eyes like that and that's Harry Corvil." Oliver told him. "If he was anyone but him then Melenade wouldn't have seen him like that."

"What does Ietittar mean?" She asked again.

Calter sighed and blushed. "It means 'My little one'." Oliver and Lucus hid smirks but Melenade cooed at him and stroked his hair. Calter jerked his head as if trying to hide from her but she didn't give up and leapt onto the bed and started stroking the top edge of his wings just like Lucus had done. "Not again!" He groaned but couldn't seem to find the energy to complain at the treatment and merely buried his head as Lucus and Oliver laughed at him.

"Bet you wish nobody had learned about that right now." Oliver was clearly grinning and Calter looked up and glared at him but Oliver just crossed towards him and took over for his sister. "You really can't stay angry at us when we do this, can you?" Oliver asked as Calter buried his head again and sighed.

"I just wish I could do something with them." Calter groaned.

"Well the Elves say that the incisions have closed up while you were sleeping so if you want up we can try going for a walk." Lucus suggested from across the room.

"Really?" Calter grinned.

"Really." Oliver told him and moved away to let Calter push up from the bed. It was awkward and slow going because of the huge wings on his back but he managed to find his feet and it only lightly hurt his back to move his shoulders about. He still had bandages around his stomach crossing under the joints to his wings but the ones around his shoulders were gone. He touched the pendant as it settled against his sternum and he smiled at Lucus who smiled back.

"Oh and for the record you've buffed out a bit too." Oliver grinned at him cheekily making Calter look down at himself. He wasn't too different but the edge was there. He'd always been a little scrawny just like Lucus. They both had been rather lithe since they had to make up for lack of food but they weren't really stunted. When Calter had joined the scouts they'd made him eat more food and his muscles had filled out but he'd still been very much a child but the muscles had been there with developing pectorals and abdominal muscles. Now though they'd formed perfectly. He was still forming a little but his muscles were showing up well toned on his body.

"Jealous?" Calter asked the two boys. Lucus just rolled his eyes but Oliver blushed slightly.

"I'm only fourteen! I've got an excuse." Oliver complained.

"Besides, Oli, it's only a little flab." Melenade giggled and poked Oliver's side. Oliver gasped in horror and tackled his sister only for her to kick him in the shin and try to tackle him. Her fingers reached for his sides again and he ran away, hiding behind Calter's wings which flickered slightly in response to someone trying to use him to hide. Lucus and Calter just laughed at the brother and sister.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Four days later**

Calter grinned happily as he made his wings twitch on command. If he really tried he could make them arch up higher above his head but it took effort to hold them up over his head like that and they sat lower down his back with far less effort. He had tried, at the Elves suggestion, to draw them into his back but after hours of trying he'd given up and although he tried to do it at the end of his hourly wing training sessions it wasn't getting any easier to hide them. Lucus and Oliver had suggested that because the wings were such a new part of him he didn't want to lose them so unconsciously he was stopping them from disappearing. Calter had to admit that just having them there, always against his back, made him feel safer than he had in a long time. They gave him a feeling of wellbeing that he'd only ever gotten from Lucus before.

The Elves had taken one of the thin shirts and split it down the back and put a fine lacing down it so that Calter could cover his torso up but he had to let Oliver, Melenade or Lucus lace it up for him but there was no way he could do that himself, even if he wanted to. Clearly the Lamia had always let others dress them like this, or just not opened their wings like this.

Tomorrow though the Elves were going to take them out of the relative safety of Lothlorien and north to Mirkwood to meet with the Elvin King but they wanted him to test his control before they set off since it would take a while to get there and Calter would have to feed from Oliver, Lucus or Melenade at some point. Already Calter felt a tickle at the back of his throat when he thought about drinking from them and knew that while he wasn't actually thirsty he was more willing to drink blood than he had been when he'd first woken up here.

That brought them to the top of one of the buildings with Lucus, Oliver, Melenade and three of the six Elves that were with them. The Elves were purely there to stop anything going wrong but Calter had had nightmares the night before about losing control and trying to drain Lucus dry and even though the Elves had pulled his dream self away it had left little to his imagination on what would happen when his fangs were pulled out of Lucus' neck like that.

"Lucus..." Calter actually whimpered slightly and his wings twitched against his back nervously. Lucus rolled his eyes and moved over to him and wrapped his arms around his brother, putting his arms around under his wings and squeezing him tightly.

"I know you, Cal." Lucus whispered to him. "I don't even feel slightly nervous. You'll take what you need and stop yourself. You'll see, nobody will even have to ask you to stop. Just take a small amount and stop yourself."

"How do you know?" Calter kept his arms around Lucus.

"Because you're stronger than me but you restrain yourself from harming me when you hug me." Lucus pointed out. "You've been restraining yourself around me for our whole lives together. Just because the stakes have been raised doesn't mean the risk has too. I'm as safe with you feeding from my blood as I am when we're hugging like this."

Calter forced himself to take deep breaths, sucking in Lucus' familiar scent and just like always the smell of his friend calmed his wildly beating heart. For the first time Calter was going to willingly hurt his friend. He was going to sink his fangs into his brother's throat and drink his blood. He pulled back and dropped his forehead to touch Lucus'. "You're sure?"

Lucus actually looked eager to get this done and he nodded firmly. "Lamia and Vampires have been drinking the blood of donors for thousands of years, Cal." Lucus smiled at him from only a half inch away. "It's something special and it's something I want to share with you. I was there when you started finding out you were stronger and faster than the rest of us and I was there when you got your wings. I want to be the one that you experience this with first."

"Brothers." Calter shut his eyes for a moment as he muttered it to himself. If he was going to experience this properly and not like he'd done with the Rohirrim scout a few days ago he was going to do it with Lucus. There was no one else that he wanted to experience this with for the first time. There was no one else close enough, that knew him well enough, to experience this with him.

Lucus didn't let go of Calter and merely tilted his head to one side. Lucus didn't have a clue what to do or what to expect but bearing the side of his neck to his brother seemed like a good start. Calter raised one of his hands between them, trapping his arm between their chests and he traced his fingertip down his best friend and brother's throat, just to the side, just over where his most accessible blood vessel was. He could almost smell the blood trapped within his brother. His ears could hear Lucus' slightly faster than normal heart beat and his finger could feel the blood pulsing just under a few layers. The few layers that Calter's fangs would pierce through.

"Are you there?" Calter whispered as quietly as he could. He didn't want the Elves to hear him. Lucus' breath caught in surprise but he stayed silent.

"_I'm here, just as I promised but I won't say anything unless I need to."_ Harry's voice made him shudder though it wasn't as bad as it had been before his awakening. _"Lucus is right. You need not fear harming him. Follow your instincts and trust in yourself."_

Calter let his hand drop away from Lucus' neck and settle on his brother's sternum and almost seemed to be ready to push his brother away. Lucus leaned his head further to the side and caught Calter's eyes and they looked at each other for moment.

"I love you, Luc." Calter whispered.

"Love you too, Cal." Lucus gave him a lazy smile just before Calter leaned in and tilted his head. His fangs ached almost painfully as he drew closer but he kept his lips shut and pressed a kiss just over the pulsing vein to try to reassure his friend and to warn him and then without pulling back he opened his mouth and ran his tongue over his fangs and then closed the last little gap, letting some kind of hunting instinct take him over. The same instinct that had made him hit the Rohirrim scout's vein without missing but this time it was different. Before he had just wanted the man dead and wanted his blood as a bonus. This time though the knowledge that this was Lucus was always at the forefront of his mind. Every part of Lucus seemed to be against him. He was aware of Lucus like he'd never been before. He could hear every breath he made and feel it against the side of his head. He could feel his blood pumping around his body, feel the heat of his body against his and the movement of his muscles against his own.

Skin and flesh parted under his fangs and the smell of blood hit him a split second before the taste of blood, so much more enticing than the smell could ever be but never for a moment did he forget that this was Lucus' blood and suddenly he was well aware of how he'd feel if he lost Lucus, the one constant in his life. As he began to feed from his brother he knew that Lucus had been right. He could never have done this with anyone else and because it was Lucus there was no reason to be worried about him losing control. His body knew that having Lucus there was so much more important than feeding and as he realised this his right hand, which had been flat against his chest, shifting to grab a fistful of Lucus' shirt and his left arm pulled Lucus closer to him even as Lucus caved to a growing need to moan and soon tightened his arms around Calter.

Lucus' head flopped down onto Calter's shoulder and his warm breath hit Calter's neck sending tingles through him. His wings shifted behind him, wanting to wrap around the two of them but he couldn't get them to shift properly and that was probably a good thing or the Elves wouldn't have known if Lucus was safe.

Calter groaned as he felt Lucus' hot blood settling into his body. It was so good to Calter that he couldn't even remember what other blood even smelled like, not even what the Rohirrim scout's blood had tasted like and he remembered that that had been heaven to him at the time. This though was something completely beyond that and as he realised the effect it was having on him he became well aware of the effect this was having on Lucus. He'd been scared that Lucus would only feel pain but his best friend's arousal was as obvious between them as his own and Lucus' trembling ran through Calter.

He decided that it was time to stop and prove to everyone that he could do it. He stopped drinking first and then closed his lips. It seemed natural to close his mouth before pulling his fangs out and the movement pulled his fangs out automatically and smoothly. He felt blood on his lips, tasted it on his tongue rather than from his fangs and his tongue licked across the two small stings in Lucus' throat. He did it a few times until he could taste only the smallest trace of blood and knew the wound was closing over slowly.

He pulled his head back and Lucus tightened his arms against him and shivered. "Cal..." Lucus didn't sound upset.

"Are you alright, Lucus?" Oliver asked gently, just behind Lucus and Calter found himself tightening his arms. He felt the sudden need to run away with Lucus and check every inch of him over for any damage he could have done. He wanted to curl up with him that night and not let him go, like they had in the orphanage when either of them needed comfort.

"I'm okay, Oliver." Lucus mumbled lazily where his face was almost pressing into Calter's neck. "Can you all give us a few minutes?"

"You did well, young Calter." The leader of their Elvin guard told them. "We shall be waiting for you tomorrow morning. Sleep well."

Calter watched the three Elves leave and looked at Oliver and Melenade who were smiling at him proudly. "We'll see you in the morning." Calter assured him. "Can we just be alone for a bit?"

"You want to talk privately about it?" Oliver asked and Calter felt heat against his neck as Lucus blushed but Oliver didn't see that. Calter just nodded. "I think I can understand that." He nodded. "We'll see you in the morning. You know where to find us if you want anything."

"I think I might go take a bath." Melenade decided. "You did good, Calter. You too, Lucus."

Lucus mumbled something and Melenade and Oliver laughed though neither seemed to guess what one of the reasons Lucus was still hiding against him was. True Lucus was a little too shaky to stand easily on his own but his other problem was still very obvious. So was Calter's and if Lucus hadn't been in front of him that whole scene probably would have been very obvious. He'd have to remember that when and if he ever took blood from Oliver or Melenade.

Lucus shuddered against him and finally buried his face in Calter's neck. "Luc? Are you okay?"

"That felt so..." Lucus started.

"Did it hurt at all?" Calter asked softly, letting his new strength hold his brother up.

"Just the smallest of stings when they went in, after that nothing but..." Lucus stopped and Calter felt his face flush again. The heat making him move slightly which only made a completely different sensation shoot up from his groin.

"But what?" Calter asked after getting control of his breathing.

"I think you know just as well as I do." Lucus laughed against his neck. "I can't believe I'm in this state!"

Calter shifted his right hand around and hugged Lucus properly the movement making Lucus move slightly and then hiss out as it put pressure between them. "Go on, Luc." Calter whispered to him. "Nobody is anywhere near us. We're alone."

"Cal..." Lucus sighed.

"It's just the after effects, Luc." Calter told him. "And I don't think it's going to go away, for either of us, unless we do something about it. And I really don't want to let you go right now. It's not like..."

"We haven't done it before." Lucus mumbled, finishing off Calter's statement. "And for the record I'd rather not let you go right now either. I think I'd fall over for a start."

Calter grinned and let his head fall onto Lucus' shoulder as Lucus shifted his hips and moaned. Calter found himself close to the wound in Lucus' neck and before he knew what he was doing his tongue slid along them, tasting the blood. Lucus gasped in pleasure and his hips grinded their groins together. Calter grinned against his brother's skin and lapped again, cleaning the wound of blood and clearly it was a rather pleasurable experience for Lucus who started rocking against Calter. Any reservation that had built up since a few years back vanishing completely. As Lucus had said earlier, just like everything else major in their lives this was an experience to share. From feeding right to the end.

Lucus shuddered as he climaxed and Calter was soon to follow him, holding his brother close as he went completely limp in his arms. Calter kissed his neck even as his nose was filled with a smell completely different to his blood but still with Lucus' scent attached.

"Thank you, Luc." Calter told him. "You were right. I wouldn't have wanted to do this with anyone but you."

"I know you, Cal." Lucus sighed. "And we're in this to the end, through everything."

Calter pulled back to look Lucus in the face to see it glazed over a little but not noticeably pale. "I don't think I took too much."

"And your face is perfectly clean." Lucus smiled at him lazily.

Calter reached up with a hand and stroked his brother's sleepy face. "Thank you, brother."

"Trust me, that felt awesome." Lucus grinned at him impishly. "Sounded awesome to you too."

Calter felt his own face flush at the reminder of the effect it had had on him. "Perhaps me feeding should be kept as a private affair until I can do it without..."

"Without?" Lucus grinned, already knowing what Calter was going to say.

"Without that." Calter glanced down between them where he was still holding Lucus up against his front. Holding him up as much as to him. "Let's go wash up and sleep."

"Good idea." Lucus unwrapped his arms from around Calter. "Let me try to stand."

Calter slowly let Lucus take a step backwards and after a wobbly start he straightened up. "I don't feel light headed so you didn't take that much."

"You just look like you just had sex." Calter grinned.

"Alright Mr. Calm and Collected." Lucus laughed. "Don't forget I'm the one that showed you how to do that in the first place." Calter laughed at the reminder of their early teenage experimentation years before.

They headed down to the room that Calter and Lucus had been sharing, the one that Calter had first woken up in and without any real reservation stripped off to clean up and then pull on fresh underwear. Since they had to travel the next day they cleaned up their clothes and then slipped into bed. Lucus laid on his back and without waiting for permission Calter lay half on his chest, letting his wings cover them both as they fell into their natural position.

"I'm actually looking forward to you doing that again." Lucus laughed even as his right arm wrapped around Calter and his left started stroking the underside of his right wing. Calter tucked his head under Lucus' chin and stroked his finger across the healing wound on his neck getting a shiver through his human brother. He put his arm around his chest and wasn't even sure he'd answered before Lucus had fallen asleep, his hand resting on Calter's back just under his wing joints.

Calter kissed Lucus' neck, on the other side to his wounds, and then settled down to eventually follow his brother into sleep.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	5. Royal Guard

Tuureamindo

A/N; There are several **SLASH** scenes in this chapter. Nothing too extreme so I haven't marked them like with full scenes in other stories. That said, if you don't like the idea of two males together why are you reading my work?

Chapter 5; Royal Guard

**The next day**

They met Oliver and Melenade at the base of their tree and found the four Elves already there. "How are you feeling, Lucus?" Melenade asked.

"A little tired." Lucus admitted truthfully knowing that the Elves were waiting for his response. "But Calter didn't take that much."

"By our observations the amount he took is a little less than what an adjusted Vampire must take each week." The leader of the Elves told them with a nod. "I would suggest that you do not take the required amount from Lucus each week."

"I figured that." Calter nodded.

"You can take from us." Melenade smiled happily.

"I'll talk to Oliver about it later." Lucus leaned over to whisper into Calter's ear. Melenade frowned but they were soon busy sorting out packs. Calter felt bad quickly when he spotted that there were only seven packs, three smaller than the rest. The Elves lifted larger packs and Oliver handed his sister and Lucus one.

"The elves don't know any way for you to carry a pack, Calter." Oliver explained. "But it's only a short trip and these are pretty light."

"You may use the time to work on your wings as we travel." The Elf leader smiled at him.

Most of the morning was spent heading through the forest and it wasn't until early afternoon before the massive trees began to thin out and quite suddenly they emerged into the bright sunlight on the edge of a fast flowing river. "What river is that?" Lucus asked everyone in general.

"The Anduin?" Oliver glanced up at the Elves who nodded to show he was right.

"You mean _the_ Anduin?" Lucus gasped. "That runs through Osgiliath?"

"It runs from the Grey Mountains in the north almost directly south past the edge of Rohan, through Gondor and then southwest to the Bay of Belfalas." The Elves explained. "It is the greatest river in Middle-Earth. Morchaint planned to sail ships down it to enhance trade between Morchaint, Mirkwood, Rohan and Gondor but the Gondorians eventually refused."

"How would they get ships past the Rauros Falls?" Oliver asked.

"That I do not know." The Elf shook his head. "But the technology of Morchaint is great."

"So we've heard." Lucus nodded. "We've never seen it though."

"What does your King want to do with me after we get there?" Calter asked suddenly.

"We do not know." The leader told him simply. "Perhaps to simply remove you from harm's way to prevent a war or perhaps he knows something about you that we do not?"

Calter frowned but didn't comment. It was true that he had to get away from where a war could be triggered because of him but he just didn't see why people were going to such effort to do this in the first place.

"We shall follow the Anduin north until it intersects with the Old Forest Road and then use that to move east into Mirkwood." The leader explained.

"Old Forest Road?" Oliver frowned.

"Morchaint calls it the Eastern Road, it travels from the Shire in the west, through the mountains and Mirkwood and further east to supply the frontier towns in the east." He continued.

"Won't the Rohirrim scouts head to the big roads to try to cut us off before we reach Mirkwood?" Lucus asked with a concerned frown.

"The Highways are heavily patrolled by the Morchaint military. Nobody will attack us once we're on the highway." The leader assured them. "With the current state of things between the human realms and Morchaint they will enhance security on the Highways outside of Rohan and Gondor."

Calter's wings twitched slightly, the burning red wings flexing slightly as the mention of oncoming war made him anxious. Lucus reached over and lightly traced the feathers on the back of his right wing to show he understood. At the moment Calter's wings were a window to his emotions, capable of telling people what he was feeling.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three days later**

Calter ran ahead of the group along with one of the elves finding it easy to slip up the small ledges and hills that broke up the grassy plains of the Gladden Fields. He felt stronger than he ever had in his life and his muscles barely strained and several times he'd surprised himself and leapt further than he'd intended when he misjudged the power of a thrust in comparison to his weight. The Elves had explained that they were lighter than their physical weight which is why Elves left only the slightest of traces of their passage and also could walk on the surface of a snow drift. Calter in comparison had always left similar tracks to Lucus in Gondor's light winter snows but he was told by the Elves that when his wings were out he could walk on snow without trouble.

He glided for the first time when he was out running, he was moving too fast and the Elf he was following leapt from one ledge to another but Calter had missed the second ledge and his wings had opened just enough to catch the wind as he fell ten feet to the ground. His landing had been a little ungraceful but the Elf had come back to find him with a smile on his face. Lucus, Oliver and Melenade had been very proud of him.

They were perhaps half way to the Eastern Highway when, in the evening before bed, Lucus brought up the matter of donating blood with Oliver. Melenade was already asleep in the middle of the camp by the small fire that pushed back the encroaching winter airs. Three of the Elves were also sleeping with one standing on watch somewhere in the darkness.

"You still want to donate blood for Calter?" Lucus asked suddenly when they were finishing off a piece of Lembas bread together.

"Of course." Oliver nodded. "Melenade too. You didn't have any trouble and Calter needs more than you can give him frequently."

"You maybe, Melenade no." Calter shook his head.

"Just because she's only twelve..." Oliver started.

"It's not because of that." Lucus shook his head. "Not only that actually. It's because she's young _and_ a girl."

"Since when have either of you been sexist?" Oliver snorted.

"Since Calter drinking from me made us both so hard it was embarrassing!" Lucus told him bluntly making Calter choke and Oliver stare in shock. "What? It was the easiest way to get on with the conversation."

"You mean...?" Oliver's eyes widened and Calter could see the heat rising in his face.

"It felt too good." Lucus explained. "We couldn't help it."

"Lucus and I have known each other for as long as we can remember. It doesn't bother us to be in that situation." Calter explained. "But if I take from you before I can control the reaction on my behalf then things might get awkward between us. I don't even know if I can do it so it doesn't affect you like that."

"Right now none of us really knows what will happen." Lucus explained.

"Harry said that controlling that comes with experience. Both with me taking it and you donating it." Calter shrugged. "I'd rather not put something like that in our friendship but like you said, Lucus can't sustain me on his own."

"And Melenade is too young to understand." Oliver nodded.

"Harry said that children aren't permitted to donate until they're sixteen and then not to strangers until they're eighteen." Calter continued. "You're fourteen and well..."

"It might be strange for you." Lucus finished.

"I'm not a little kid you know." Oliver half snapped back but he blushed. "I've..."

"You've what?" Calter asked.

Oliver buried his head in his arms. "I've done _that_ before!" He mumbled into his arms but Calter and Lucus both heard him. Oliver looked up. "Yeah, it might be a bit embarrassing for me, or us, but you need the blood and I'll get used to it."

Calter shifted to sit next to Oliver being careful of his wings on the floor. Lucus moved to sit on Oliver's other side and they looped their arms around the slightly smaller boy. "Thanks." Lucus told him making Oliver look at him in surprise. It was Calter he was doing it for after all. "For being willing to help my brother out." Lucus specified.

Oliver nodded and Calter hugged him tighter. "Thanks." Calter whispered before standing up. His wings tried to move but without much success and eventually Calter laid down on his bedding without getting into the bag like Melenade had and Oliver and Lucus were doing next to him. He laid down on his front and that night had a rather uncomfortable dream about drinking from Oliver and repeating what he and Lucus had done but with Oliver instead.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

"We'll stop soon for the night." Heni announced gently as they hiked up another rise along the river bank.

"Why isn't this route more used?" Lucus asked their escort.

"Most of the western traders move west of the mountains." Heni explained. "And the elves live almost solely in Mirkwood now. There is no need for travel along this route any longer."

"Why aren't we being overrun with Rohirrim Scouts?" Oliver asked. "Surely they realise that we'll head this way."

"Because they will delay before provoking my King." Heni explained. "We are well north of the southern tip of our lands and one of our arrows lies in the chest of a human. They do not wish to provoke us further until they assess the situation."

Calter tensed and shifted as he heard a sound, in a second he had Melenade and Oliver behind him and his wings flexed anxiously. He knew he hadn't imagined the sound when the four Elves drew their bows and moved around them. The sound came again, a snuffling sound that faded away.

"What is it?" Lucus whispered from beside Calter.

"An animal." Heni stood tall and lowered his bow. "Perhaps the size of a large predator. Rare for this area."

Everyone flinched when a call echoed through the area. It wasn't a loud one but it carried. It sounded like a loud version of the noise that the Orphanage's cat used to make but Calter didn't know what could make that kind of sound. An answering yowl came from the distance and then a shuffling noise nearby. Calter drew his sword and pulled Melenade closer to protect her. The Elves were lifting their bows again and moving closer to them. Calter heard a scuffle from behind them and twisted his body. His wings tried to open and he tried to make them surround Oliver and Melenade but they didn't want to agree to his demands.

Then he saw it. A large cat leapt clear of a ditch twenty feet from them and lowered its head. It was almost completely black but had solid yellow eyes that stared at them all as it growled. Then another appeared on their right, this time it was a dark orange colour broken up by a whiter belly and covered in black circles that made it hard to see against the scrub behind it. The Elves flinched and Calter turned to see another raise itself out of a ditch. It was slightly smaller than the others but white with grey circles.

Calter gasped as he remembered what Harry had told him when they were in Lothlorien. He lowered his sword. "Where's the fourth?" He called.

The cat in front of him, the black one, yowled and it sounded like amusement and then it was moving. It turned and leapt away and the other two ran after it. "Calter?" Oliver asked nervously. "The fourth?"

Calter then realised he'd let the elves know something he shouldn't have. Calter eyed them but Heni bowed his head and motioned for the other elves to move away. Calter frowned at how easy that had been before turning to look at the other three. "When Harry talked to me in Lothlorien just after I woke up he said that he was sending four Lamia down to meet us. He said they'd appear as four cats."

"I only saw three." Lucus laughed.

"So where did they go?" Oliver asked.

"Prepare yourselves!" Heni called to them. Calter turned to the elf to see all of the elves aiming out towards the sun where a figure was jogging towards them. Calter stared for a moment spotting the oddity of the figure. He didn't wear any boots or socks and not even a shirt. He had no weapon and only trousers to cover himself. The figure paused just where the black cat had been and opened his arms.

"As you can see I am not carrying weapons." The man told them.

"A Lamia has no need for weapons." Heni pointed out.

The man laughed and rolled his head on his shoulder and pale blue wings opened out behind him. Harry stared at the other Lamia in wonder, the first he'd seen other than his friends back in Gondor. He grabbed Lucus and Oliver and put them behind him only not bothering with Melenade because her brother had already put her behind himself.

"Master Calter." The blue-winged Lamia bowed his head, his wings opening high above him, making him seem ten times larger than he was. "Please accept my invitation. I need to speak to you in private."

"We have orders to escort him and his human friends to our King." Heni frowned.

"I will return him to you and myself and my friends will accompany you." The Lamia promised.

"It's okay, Heni." Calter walked forwards. "I'll go with him."

"It is not far." The Lamia bowed again.

"Calter, I'm not sure this is a good idea." Heni frowned.

"He's not going to hurt me." Calter turned to the elf with a reassuring look. Heni nodded. Calter moved towards the Lamia and followed him across the plains and was soon out of sight a few hundred yards from them on the rolling plains. "Are there four of you?"

"Yes." The Lamia told him just as three cats appeared. A fourth also orange with black circles. "You were warned?"

"Who sent you?" Calter demanded.

The three cats suddenly shifted, their forms straightening up and Calter blushed fiercely when he was suddenly faced with three naked figures. His escort laughed. "We do not change with our clothing. We carry it and our weapons on our backs normally. I had to return here to put clothing on before returning. Harry contacted us a few days ago and asked us to find you."

"Why?" Calter frowned trying not to look at the others.

"They are dressed now." His guide told him and he turned back to see them all wearing the same as his guide. "And to answer your question because you are his last descendent."

"He told you?" Calter took a step back, his wings twitching.

"We are loyal to Harry." His guide told him. "Ever since we were children a thousand years ago we have done as he wished. My name is Dalamy. This is Peter, George and Kentar."

"You're here to help me?" Calter asked, a pleading note in his voice.

"We're sticking right with you until you're safe." The one called Kentar told him, moving closer and crouching so he was actually shorter than Calter. "We're the only four beings in Morchaint that can talk to Harry long term without damage. We've been best friends, brothers and more since we were children. If you let us we'll help you. We would have been with you when you changed but events happened too fast. You should have changed with those in Gondor."

"You care?" Calter frowned.

"Oh, Calter." Kentar smiled. "We care. You're kind of like family to us."

"Why?" Calter asked.

"You just are, Calter." Kentar assured him. "How have things been going? You've fed?"

"Twice." Calter looked down, feeling safe with these four. "With Lucus."

"Your brother?" Kentar asked. "Was it okay?"

Calter blushed and Kentar chuckled. "Don't worry, it happens to everyone, especially when you have a bond with the other person. We'll help you with that. You won't gain much from feeding from us but it'll be practice for you to avoid turning yourself and your donor on."

"It just takes practice?" Calter asked.

"If you don't want to turn on your donor." Kentar laughed and glanced at Dalamy over Calter's shoulder. "Sometimes you do."

Calter looked around at the others before turning back to Kentar. "What about the other time?" Dalamy asked from behind him.

"I..." Calter winced and looked down. Kentar's hand caught his chin and tilted his head up and Calter found himself leaning into him. "I didn't mean to. They were trying to kill my friends."

"When you changed?" Kentar asked. "Did you lose control?" Calter nodded, ashamed of himself. Kentar moved closer and Calter fell into him, hugging him before he knew what he was doing. Kentar's strong arms surrounded him and he felt Dalamy stroking his wings as he disappeared into Kentar's warm chest.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Twenty minutes later**

Calter walked back to the others with Kentar and Dalamy flanking him. They were wearing black clothing now with a silver trim as well as twin hand-and-a-half swords on their hips. Their wings were away but George and Peter had helped them dress and explained that by doing so it allowed them to open their wings through the clothing. It was the way the magic that hid their wings from view worked. The two had backpacks and extra weapons for George and Peter who trailed behind them as cats. Calter admitted to himself that he felt far safer with the four of them around than he had ever been. As it was the Elves were scarily powerful but Calter knew that the four Lamia could take apart the Elves if they had to.

His brother, friends and their Elvin escorts were waiting for them in exactly the same place that Calter had left them in and Lucus looked about ready to pounce on Calter in concern. The Elves were clearly relieved when Calter was returned to them and Kentar and Dalamy bowed to them. "We thank you for protecting Calter up until this point." Kentar told them. "My name is Kentar."

"Kentar." Heni frowned. "Royal Guard?" He glanced down at Calter with a speculative look. "I still have my orders from my King."

"Our mission does not restrict that." Dalamy explained with a frown on his face. "Our task is to ensure Calter's survival."

"Calter is still here you know." Calter grumbled. Kentar touched him on the shoulder gently.

"I'm starting to believe that we are undermanned for this task." Heni commented.

"Perhaps but you are already escorting the rightful Heir of Gondor and his sister." Kentar drew himself up before turning to Oliver and Melenade. He bowed low. "I apologise for this delay but it is a pleasure to meet you both."

"Kentar, Dalamy, this is Lucus." Calter glanced at them both before moving to hug his tense best friend.

"We must convey our gratitude for the way you have stood by Calter's side all these years." Dalamy moved forwards and knelt. "We four, the Royal Guard as you have just heard, will protect you like we will Calter."

Lucus frowned slightly but nodded slightly. "Is my King aware of this?" Heni asked sharply.

"Your King is duly informed." Kentar turned to them. "We have no intention of sidetracking your current mission. Your King is the only current member of the Morchaint Council that can fully be trusted."

"What about your Regent?" Oliver gasped.

"We cannot personally vouch for the Regent of Morchaint." Dalamy told them casually but there was something harsh in his voice. "And even if we could we cannot risk taking you west from here. War is broiling across the western Kingdoms and the gears of war are rolling in Morchaint."

"Already?" Oliver gasped.

"Rohan has sent word to Morchaint to demand the extradition of Calter and Lucus as well as the Elves responsible for the death of their scouting party." Kentar explained. "Already the Morchaint army is on its way to Edoc'sil."

"What of the Gondorians?" Oliver asked.

"Moving into Rohan with permission from King Handuin." Kentar explained. "As far as we know."

"That's an offensive move." Oliver frowned. "There's nowhere but the Hornburg capable of becoming a defensive structure against the Morchaint military and not for an entire army."

"Hence why Morchaint is preparing for a defensive war." Kentar nodded in appreciation of Oliver's quick thinking. "But enough of this, we must be on our way must we not?" Kentar asked Heni.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That night**

They halved the remaining distance to where they'd join the Highway where it crossed the river over the course of the day and throughout the day Peter and George were hardly ever seen as they ran around the group, acting as scouts. It quickly became obvious that Kentar and Dalamy could hear both of the others in their minds when they began relaying information to Heni and the other Elves about what they were approaching. The two Lamia stayed with them through the day, always one trailing behind and the other only a few paces away from where Calter walked with Oliver, Melenade and Lucus and just spent the day chatting to Calter about what had been happening. The Elves were tense for a time before relaxing a little but they kept a close eye on the two Lamia adults.

Even so it became evident that the Elves had no real reason to distrust the four Lamia beyond the normal level of distrust required of everyone when charged with the protection of a single individual. Calter found out a lot about their protectors. The four had been born within three months of each other. A massively rare occasion for Lamia in Morchaint since children were rare. They had been children during the Wars of the Fellowship when the Hobbit Frodo had destroyed the One Ring of Evil with the help of his friend Samwise. They even told them that they had been put in charge of making sure Frodo and his friends were safe in Dras Arget when Nacraemeus had attacked the great city. That was all before they'd hit their majority and gotten their wings.

When they were sixteen, Calter's age, the four had hit their majority at the exact same moment because their souls were tied together. The four of them were Soul Mates, bound together by their souls for their entire immortal lives. They shared thoughts and had powers that complimented each other although they didn't explain what kind of powers. And obviously they all obtained an alternative feline form. Calter explained that because of the way their minds were linked they were the only ones capable of directly receiving instructions from a member of the Nuuruhuine, because the load was shared between all four of them evenly. When they got older Duke Harry Corvil had charged them with the protection of the most treasured of his possessions and they became known as the Royal Guard, even though nobody but the Nuuruhuine had known what that possession had been or what it was worth. It was soon believed that the four were the only ones to know the true location of where the Nuuruhuine slept away the years.

When evening came Peter and George returned to the group as they were setting up camp but remained in their feline forms. Melenade and Oliver fawned over the two for a while before Dalamy sat down opposite where Calter and Lucus had set up their bed rolls. "It will be four days before we reach King Legolas' Palace in Mirkwood. I would suggest that you feed now from Oliver and again from Lucus once we arrive."

"Why so often?" Calter asked. "I'm not really that thirsty."

"Mirkwood is a place of magic." Dalamy explained. "It is something that human can witness but that Lamia can feel in their bodies. A Lamia of your age will have to keep his emotions in check at all times. That is easier done when the Elves are not a great temptation to you."

"I..." Calter winced. "You think I might attack one of them?"

"No." Dalamy shook his head. "I believe you have the control necessary. But it will be easier for you. Also if you have recently fed it will help when you practice taking from us on the way there."

"But what about...?" Calter blushed.

"Have you spoken to young Oliver about it?" Dalamy asked.

"We have." Lucus nodded. "He's happy."

"Then I would suggest the three of you move away a little for some privacy so that Calter can feed." Dalamy suggested.

"Will the Elves allow that?" Lucus asked.

"George and Peter will go with you just in case you lose control." Dalamy assured them. "There is nothing to fear."

Calter nodded and stood up and slipped over to where Oliver was setting up his bedroll just outside of earshot. "Oliver?"

"Calter?" Oliver straightened up.

"Dalamy thinks I should feed tonight." Calter blushed because he couldn't help it. "I... is that alright with you?"

"Yeah." Oliver nodded. "I don't mind. Can we... you know? Not do it here?"

Calter smiled gently and jerked his head and led Oliver back to Lucus and Dalamy. Dalamy looked at Oliver before moving closer to whisper so that the Elves couldn't possibly overhear him. "Try not to worry about being embarrassed." Dalamy told him and Lucus and Calter could hear him. "Enjoy it."

"I will." Oliver gave a bit of a smirk at Calter who bit his lip. His fangs were starting to throb at the idea of fresh blood and he found himself looking forward to the side affect more than he'd thought he would.

He led Lucus and Oliver away from the camp even as Dalamy chatted with Heni for a brief moment. "Is this safe?" Lucus asked.

"I don't think Oliver will be in any danger." Calter assured them both before looking at a suddenly nervous human Prince. "Everything about me reminds me to protect you and Melenade. I think that will overcome any other need once I start feeding. Besides, George will be here the whole time."

The white feline appeared out of the shadows and laid down on the ground with a gentle yowl of sound. He tucked his head down on his paws. "What about... you know?" Oliver asked.

"I..." Calter winced. "I really don't mind what happens, Oliver."

"You don't?" Oliver blushed fiercely. Calter moved closer and gently wrapped his arms around the smaller boy. Oliver hugged him back tightly and Calter tucked his head up in Oliver's neck and kissed his skin gently.

"I really don't mind, Oliver." Calter told him. "You're my friend. I respect you. Whatever state we end up in this won't ever be known to anyone else. Lucus won't mention it to anyone and neither will George."

"And you'll be in the same state?" Oliver asked.

"I expect so." Calter told him.

"Do it, Calter." Oliver nodded suddenly and tilted his head away, mimicking the way that Oliver had ended up when they'd watched this before. Calter kissed his neck again and then tasted the skin with a swipe of his tongue that sent trembles down Oliver's back. Calter dropped his lips back down onto human skin and his fangs followed with perfect grace as if this entire thing was a well practiced art for him now. His fangs split through skin and flesh and punctured Oliver's largest vein in his neck.

Oliver flinched a little at the sting but Calter held him tightly and as soon as he started to drink down the blood pain became pleasure for Oliver who groaned and clung to Calter tighter. Calter had the sudden urge to wrap Oliver up in his wings and before he could realise what he was doing he willed his wings around and they, for the first time, truly answered. He felt strain in his back as muscles went to work but then he and Oliver were wrapped up in complete darkness.

Oliver groaned and his breathing went ragged and Calter focused on the task at hand rather than the wonder that was his wings. He'd been right about his desire to protect Oliver trumping his desire to feed since he knew he could stop whenever he wanted to. He wasn't delusional to expect that to work if he was really thirsty and lost control but it was good enough for him.

He shut his eyes as he let himself fall into the immense feeling of feeding, made all the better because it was from somebody he cared so much about. When he knew he'd had enough to last him he closed his lips, extracting his fangs gently. He licked at the wound until it stopped bleeding and his saliva accelerated the healing process and closed it up.

He felt a hand stroking the outside of his wings and focused on opening them even as he held Oliver up in his arms. The fourteen year old was beyond flustered and he was rather boneless right now. At least most of him was. Lucus was waiting for him and he smiled at them both. "I'll head back to the camp." Lucus told him. "George is going to move away I think. You could probably just yell if you want him."

"We'll come back to camp in a little while once we've calmed down." Calter promised and accepted the brief kiss on the cheek from his childhood friend.

Lucus leaned over to Oliver and stroked his hair gently. "Thank you so much, Oliver." Lucus told him.

Oliver groaned slightly and buried his head in Calter's neck in embarrassment. Lucus smiled at Calter before moving away. Calter focused on wrapping his wings back around them both and held Oliver tightly. He was proud of himself when his wings responded to his desire so easily. "Thank you, Oliver." Calter told him and kissed his neck making Oliver groan again when he touched the wound. "How are you feeling?"

"Great." Oliver groaned. "That's the problem."

"You can tell I'm just the same." Calter smiled and rested his head on Oliver's shoulder, turning his head towards his friend. "We can just sit here like this if you want. Take a nap if you want."

"Lucus was like this?" Oliver asked after about half a minute of silence.

"We both were." Calter agreed.

"And you..." Oliver trailed off. "You did something about it?"

"Do you want to do something about it?" Calter felt himself blush at his own question.

"I..." Oliver paused. "It's you."

"Me?" Calter asked, confused.

"I feel safe with you." Oliver admitted. "I've never felt this safe."

"I think that's mostly to do with being turned on, Oliver." Calter chuckled.

"No!" Oliver complained. "I don't just mean right now. I mean in general. These last few weeks I've felt safe with you."

"Oliver. You are really special to me." Calter went out on a limb. "To Lucus and I both." Oliver fidgeted and pulled his hands away and readjusted his trousers over his arousal. "Do you want me to help with that?"

"You and Lucus helped each other?" Oliver pressed.

"We kind of just rutted together until..." Calter trailed off knowing that Oliver had gotten the idea. "We could go and clean up afterwards though."

"Help me?" Oliver asked weakly. Calter kept his head on Oliver's shoulder but a smile broke across his face.

"I'd like that, Oliver." Calter told him and licked at the wound again getting a shudder from Oliver. He unwrapped his arms from around the fourteen year old and pulled his torso back so he had access but left his wings to hold Oliver in place, wrapped around them like a tent. He unbuttoned Oliver's trousers with both hands and then freed the younger boy's erection and took it in his right hand. Oliver groaned.

"Can I?" Oliver pleaded fumbling at Calter's waist for his own buttons. Calter nodded against Oliver's neck and licked at the wound again. He held his hands still until Oliver had tentatively finished exploring Calter's larger arousal but then started to lead his new friend. He loved the small noises that Oliver made at the dual assault of hand and tongue on his senses but Calter didn't last much longer than Oliver and Calter only just remembered to pull up their shirts to prevent making a mess of themselves.

Oliver managed to hold himself up until Calter managed to find a rag to clean them both off before tucking them both away. Then he just collapsed against Calter who held him tightly. "I love you, you know, Oli?" Calter asked making the younger boy look up. "I don't know how right now but I do."

"Like a friend and a brother." Oliver nodded and tucked his head under Calter's chin.

"Like I belong around you." Calter explained but still agreed with what Oliver had said. "I'll always protect you and your sister, Oli. Always."

"And I'll do everything I can to stop you and Lucus from getting into trouble." Oliver promised. "I'll get my country back and when I do you'll be safe there."

Calter pulled back and then kissed Oliver on the lips, lingering gently for a few seconds before finally pulling away. "Thank you, Oliver."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three days later**

Oliver had been much more relaxed around Calter since he'd donated for him and although he'd been a little weak the next morning he quickly regained his strength and he was generally a lot happier with the situation. So far he'd always been a little depressed, unsurprising after his father had been murdered, but it was like a lamp had been lit within him. He was simply happier with the world as they were currently living it. He had his sister and his two new friends and he felt just a little safer.

The sun was still high in the sky as they crested a gentle hill tucked into a bend in the River Anduin and could see it stretch off into the distance. The familiar mountain range continued up their left side on the horizon and stretched away into the distance ahead of them but all around them in every other direction was grassland and the occasional darkening of trees and a few rolling hills. Stretched out in front of them the River continued to slip away out of sight. In all there was very little that broke up the natural feel to the area. There was almost always an exception to the rule though. From left to right, not more than a few miles away where it crossed the river, was a greyish line so straight it was clearly unnatural.

"Is that the Highway?" Calter asked as he glanced over at the two lingering Lamia. George and Dalamy. Kentar and Peter weren't anywhere to be seen and hadn't been since that morning.

"That is the Old Forest Road." Heni announced.

"Eastern Highway." Dalamy shrugged.

"Names." Heni copied the shrugging motion.

"Morchaint built the bridge and paved the road." Dalamy pointed out though when Calter looked at him he was trying not to grin. He enjoyed baiting the Elves.

"Where does it lead?" Melenade asked curiously.

"Its original path led from Rivendell within the mountains to Mirkwood on our right." Heni explained. "When humans settled in the west the path stretched to reach Bree and even into the Shire and then finally through to the Grey Havens on the coastline."

"Morchaint repaved it?" Lucus asked.

"About two thousand years ago." Dalamy nodded. "Parts of it decayed during The Isolation but it was cleared a thousand years ago and extended west through the Shire."

"The Isolation?" Calter turned to look at the two Lamia.

"A dark time." Heni announced.

"About fifteen hundred years ago the Nuuruhuine withdrew their influence from Middle-Earth to allow other beings to rule." George spoke quietly and Calter saw the dark looks on their faces but he couldn't work out why. "A greedy Lamia, one of the descendents of Duke Harry Corvil himself took power and became a tyrant." Calter flinched. This was one of his ancestors they were talking about. "He shut Morchaint off from the rest of its allies and made greater enemies in the process. For three hundred years he ruled with his council until the Nuru Noste awoke the Nuuruhuine. Those years were later called The Isolation."

"Were you alive then?" Lucus asked the two.

"This was a thousand years ago give or take a few." Dalamy shrugged. "We were a few years younger than Calter at the end of the Isolation."

"So even after that the Nuuruhuine have still disappeared again?" Oliver asked. "Why risk that?"

"The Nuuruhuine are all over three thousand years old. Their powers could destroy Gondor if unleashed." George spoke quietly yet again. "It is not something they want to live with."

"Do you know where they are?" Calter asked suddenly.

"No." George shook his head looking saddened by that fact. Calter frowned at him still trying to work out where all the sadness came from with the two of them. It wasn't the story that was paining them but something else. Something about the Nuuruhuine sleeping.

"We can make it onto the Highway within a few hours." Heni announced.

"Then let's rest for a while here for lunch." George announced with a glance at Dalamy who nodded and slipped back over the crest of the hill. "We must talk with Calter for a time."

"What about?" Calter frowned glancing at Lucus.

"We have already discussed it." George told him simply and held out a hand. Calter's wings flexed gently wanting to wrap around Lucus who was standing at his side. "Lucus may come too." George smirked and Calter cursed the fact that his wings still betrayed his emotions most of the time. Calter focused on folding his blood red wings behind his back and they folded down flat. He loved the feel of his muscles across his back as they answered to his thoughts.

Calter and Lucus followed George back over the crest of the hill and down to a craggy area. When they walked around and down into the shelter of the rocks they saw Dalamy wearing the same as he had been before but George and Kentar were wearing only their black trousers like they normally did when they'd just shifted form.

"What did you need to talk about?" Calter asked.

"Once we're on the Highway we'll be meeting up with other groups more frequently." George told him simply. "We must work on your restraint as much as possible. Every chance we get you'll take a small amount of blood from one of the four of us."

"And try to stop?" Calter asked.

"You have already shown remarkable restraint." Dalamy spoke up. "But the more practice the better. You need not stop until we tell you, you might as well enjoy it while you're at it. This is to get you to not be so surprised by how it feels and to try to avoid the reaction you have already experienced."

"What about you four?" Calter asked. "If I'm going to take your blood?"

"We can last on canteen blood." Kentar shrugged. "And if we pass a Morchaint group willing we'll ask for blood from them but it is not safe for you to feed from them."

"Why not?" Calter asked glancing at Lucus who was watching in silence.

"We do not wish people to realise that you are a newly awakened Lamia so you cannot feed from them as it will be obvious." Peter explained. "We don't wish word of your presence to reach the people searching for you."

"So what are we doing now?" Lucus asked.

"You can watch if you wish." Kentar sat himself down on a rock and made a come hither motion with his arms. Calter looked down at his feet nervously but nobody spoke until he looked back up at them all. "It's okay, Calter. We're all family." Kentar told him. Calter walked over to him and let Kentar pick him up and place him straddling his waist. His wings adjusted to lie more comfortably around him and almost seemed to want to wrap Kentar up under the feathers.

"Just do as you did before." Peter was just behind him. "But this time try to ignore the pleasure it gives you. Only after you can ignore your own pleasure can you chose to prevent pleasure for your donor."

"You mean...?" Calter looked into Kentar's eyes in surprise.

"I will 'suffer' as you do." Kentar teased and wrapped his arms around Calter and deftly untied the laces on his shirt and slipped it away. "We don't want to mess this up."

"What about the others?" Calter asked nervously but Kentar just wrapped his arms around him.

"It's just the two of us already, Calter." Kentar whispered and Calter struggled to turn around and look at the others only to find that he and Kentar were indeed alone. He relaxed and found himself leaning into Kentar's warm chest. "Just relax and take what you want."

Calter leaned his head to the side to reach Kentar's neck but stopped just before his lips would have touched his skin. "Why?" He whispered. "Why do you care what happens to me?" He asked desperately.

"We already told you that." Kentar told him but didn't seem aggravated. "But on a personal level you are family to us. We owe our lives to Harry Corvil and we love him. You're like our nephew and we've already failed you too many times by not being there for you. From now on we'll be there for you."

Calter leaned back in and just rested his face against Kentar's neck and felt Kentar relax and simply hold him. "I'm sorry about your friends in Gondor, Calter." Kentar guessed at one of the things troubling the newly awakened Lamia. "But you're not alone anymore."

Calter brought his lips to the skin just over the vein in Kentar's neck and kissed him gently and felt the shiver run through Kentar just before he bit down through the skin. It felt different than with Oliver and Lucus. The skin still felt just as warm but it felt slightly tougher even though it was just as soft feeling. It had to be because he was Lamia. Then he tasted the blood and he groaned uncontrollably. The blood was so much richer and sweeter than Lucus' and Oliver's and although he quickly realised that he preferred drinking from the two humans because of who they were he couldn't help but desire the Lamia blood. He also realised that it gave him very little relief from his hunger but that wasn't all that bad since it had only been a few days since he'd fed from Oliver.

He groaned as he felt Kentar draw him tighter against his chest and before he could stop himself he rubbed his chest against the other Lamia. His wings opened but before he could wrap them around them both he felt something wrap around them. Kentar's wings stretched out and wrapped him in a pitch black tent of soft feathers which sent pleasurable tingles through his own wings as feathers caressed feathers. He drank and drank as he rubbed himself against Kentar's body and gasped when a hand released him from his trousers and he felt heat against his own member and then he was grinding himself against Kentar's. Before he could even think about stopping he climaxed and he felt Kentar's body jerk as he followed him over.

He went limp and closed his mouth, pulled out his fangs with a sigh and tucked his head down under Kentar's chin looking down at the mess as Kentar opened his wings to give them some air. Kentar was still holding his cock alongside his own and slowly let him go. "That's what I have to control?" Calter asked softly and felt a chuckle go through Kentar's body before letting Kentar tuck him away and reach for a cloth to clean them both up.

"It gets easier." Kentar told him. "But even when you know how to stop the pleasure from overcoming you and your donor you might not want to all the time."

"Do you, George, Dalamy and Peter feed off of each other like this?" Calter asked.

"For fun." Kentar laughed. "We do on occasion."

Calter hugged the other Lamia tighter and just sat against him until he'd gotten his body back under proper control.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next morning**

Calter woke and his arms tightened around the warm body he was holding onto. He breathed in and knew it was Lucus. They'd obviously moved together during the night and none of the party were ever surprised to wake to find the two holding each other, hidden though they normally were by Calter's wings. Calter looked down into Lucus' eyes as his human friend woke up and found himself pinned under Calter's body with the sky blocked out by blood red wings. Calter dropped his head into the crook of Lucus' neck and inhaled his scent and then feeling cheeky he licked the spot where he'd fed from over a week and a half ago. Lucus shivered but his head tilted to the side to give Calter even freer access and Calter kissed him before nipping the skin. Then he just sat as he wondered if he felt thirsty enough to feed from his best friend. He knew that Lucus was recovered enough from the last time and Lucus didn't seem to care enough to stop him. In fact Lucus looked like he was eager for it but Calter knew that if he fed four days early he'd have to wait even longer for his next feed or have to take from Oliver early.

He restrained himself to nothing more than a little nip, being careful not to pierce the skin and then pulled back and kissed Lucus gently on the lips. "No then?" Lucus asked and Calter could easily see the flush on his face and feel his human's arousal between them. He shifted to ease the pressure on Lucus' flesh and his own so that they could recover before they had to stand and join the rest of the group for the day.

"It's too early." Calter told him. "If I feed now I'll have to feed from Oliver too soon."

Lucus nodded and leaned over and pecked Calter on the lips once more before stroking his wings until the two had ridden themselves of their arousals and were happy to get up and join the others in preparing to rejoin the Highway. They'd reached the Highway about an hour before sunset and crossed the river to a well used campsite on the eastern side of the river for the night. They were alone in the large flattened area but the low walls built to shelter them had been a pleasant change. Calter had been woken up in the night to feed from George and he'd been as able to prevent the pleasure as he had been with Kentar, meaning not at all. George had carried him back to the campsite afterwards and laid him down with Lucus but at Calter's request had laid down with them. He couldn't help but think of the four of them with affection. It might have been their duty to protect him but they were just too loving with him for it to be just their duty which made them be with him.

The four Elves, three humans and five Lamia were soon walking together along the paved Highway. It seemed that the four adult Lamia were going to stay with them since they were all dressed in full weaponry and their black and silver clothing. Oliver had asked if they always travelled like that but George had explained that normally they travelled in whatever they wanted but on the Highway it was best if they wore something recognisable.

By mid morning Heni, Melenade and one of the other Elves were walking up at the front as Oliver, Lucus and Calter were joking together in the middle of the group with the four Lamia behind them and the last two Elves further back. Lucus had teased Oliver who had surprised them by teasing him right back and the two had gone through Calter to play fight only for Calter to join in and lift Oliver right up off of the ground and Oliver had hidden himself behind Calter's wings to keep Lucus away.

All of a sudden though Calter realised they were the only ones moving around. Melenade had come to a halt because the Elves had but Calter, Oliver and Lucus ended up trailing off in their fight as the others all stopped suddenly. As soon as Lucus and Oliver went quiet Calter heard it too. There were horses heading towards them at a fast pace. His wings arched up but George and Dalamy were at his sides in an instant coaxing them back down by stroking the joints. "Ease the tension, Calter. Don't antagonise them before we know who they are."

"I'm not doing it on purpose!" Calter complained but made a conscious effort to get his wings to lie flat. It was hard work because he couldn't stop being worried about the three humans that his body screamed at him to protect.

"Fifteen riders." Kentar announced as he slipped back to the party with the last of the Elves, forming up in a loose band with the Elves and Lamia protecting Calter and the humans although Calter put himself firmly in front of Melenade.

"Morchaint patrols are a score of riders." George stated simply as he glanced back at Calter. "And these are heavy riders, not Elvin."

"Rohirrim?" Oliver asked worriedly. George jerked his head to show he was probably right and just at that moment the riders crested the small rise that had so far hidden them. Calter could pick out their green clothing and the Rohirrim shields hooked onto their horses. They were spotted quickly and as one the oncoming riders slowed down to a trot as they approached and untied their spears from their saddles and held them ready.

"Blood suckers!" Calter heard one of them mutter to a friend.

"Be careful." The friend warned them all. "They have Elves with them."

The fifteen riders slowed to a stop but the Elves and Lamia shifted so that they couldn't surround them completely. Still with fifteen opponents it would be a difficult fight if it came to it.

"Identify yourselves!" The 'friend' ordered, clearly their Captain.

"We are travellers heading for Mirkwood." George stated simply.

"I didn't ask where you were going. What are your names?" the Captain snarled.

"This is a Highway under the jurisdiction of Morchaint under treaty signed by the Elves of Mirkwood." Heni stated simply. "You have no authority here."

"We have the authority of our weapons!" The Captain snapped at Heni which clearly riled up the Elf.

"Do not talk down to us!" Heni snapped. "You know not the age of those you face, child."

The Rohirrim were angered at that. "The boys with you? Who are they?" The Captain ordered. "Bring them forward. The brat with the wings."

The reaction to those words was instantaneous and George, Dalamy, Kentar and Peter snarled angrily and closed ranks. Their wings snapped into existence with a flurry of movement and the horses reared back in fear when faced with green, light blue, dark blue and red wings that towered over them. "The children are under our protection." George hissed with his fangs on display.

"The Rohirrim are searching for a young Lamia boy who is under trial in Gondor for crimes involving the murder of the King." The Captain overcame his shock and reined his horse in even as he tightened his grip on his spear. Calter felt his wings shaking but instantly Oliver and Lucus were stroking his feathers soothingly.

"This is our nephew. We've come from Morchaint." Kentar stated simply.

"With an Elvin escort?" Another Rohirrim man snorted. "Unlikely."

"We are travelling together because of convenience." Heni stated simply. "And safety. A measure clearly needed."

"Hand over the boy now." The Captain demanded.

"This is Mirkwood territory." Heni straightened up angrily. "And Morchaint jurisdiction. You have no say. If you wish you may ride to Mirkwood and appeal to King Legolas."

"Take them!" The Captain snapped suddenly and the horses seemed to respond without words. The Rohirrim yelled out ready to attack and lifted their spears but flames leapt up between them and the riders startling the horses even if the flames were short lived. The Earth rumbled making the horses skittish and Calter felt the wind whipping through his feathers. The horses weren't harmed but they were skittish by the strange events but they still leapt forwards.

An arrow buried itself in the chest of one of the Riders who fell from the horse. Another arrow felled a rider before another erupted into flames, horse and rider both. The remaining twelve riders hit Dalamy, George, Kentar and Peter who leapt at them but as fast as they were they couldn't stop the riders when they turned for Calter, Melenade, Lucus and Oliver. Melenade cried out in fear and Oliver tugged her behind him as Calter opened his wings and hissed with his fangs. He could feel adrenaline pump through his Lamia blood, he could feel the extra strength of George's blood from last night coming to the fore, thousand year old blood feeding him strength. He leapt at the closest rider as soon as they were in range but a spear was ready for him and he had to twist away to avoid the metal tip. Oliver and Lucus pulled Melenade out of the path of the horses which reined in to capture them all.

The rider that Calter was faced with turned and raised his spear to throw but right as Calter was preparing himself to dodge it the sun blinded his opponent and Calter prepared to throw himself forwards as the human recovered from the glare. Before he could reach him though a mass of brown feathers struck the rider. Wings flared even as the human flew from his saddle with a cry of pain and when he hit the ground, blood sprayed from where his throat had been slit by a sword. The brown wings flared open and the flyer wheeled in the air and dropped onto another rider just as Dalamy appeared in front of Calter.

There were two more Lamia that had joined the fight out of nowhere and soon there were fifteen dead humans and three dead horses and Calter was led over to Melenade, Lucus and Oliver by Dalamy who kept his hand firmly on the joint of Calter's wings. The three new Lamia assessed the situation and one raised a horn to his lips. Oliver, Melenade and Lucus winced at the sound and even the Elves flinched.

"Gerald of the Highway Patrol." Calter's brown-winged rescuer announced. "Our patrol is approaching now. I spotted the Rohirrim band and we flew on ahead."

"Thank you for your assistance." George approached him and offered his hand. Just as they shook hands riders appeared from the west and drew up to approach the area slowly. The horses were lightly armoured in metal chainmail but not like the shirts that George, Dalamy, Kentar and Peter wore at the moment. They caught the rest of the horses.

"May I ask who you are?" Gerald asked as he motioned to his comrades that everything was okay.

"We are travellers. We have friends in Mirkwood that we like to spend time with." Kentar explained. "We met up with Heni and his patrol a few days ago and they have agreed to travel with us because of the current tension. Clearly we were right to be concerned."

"And the children?" Gerald asked curiously. "He looks rather young."

"He awakened just last summer." Kentar lied with a proud smile on his face.

"He's a bit young to be travelling without adult donors." Gerald frowned. "Are you being well fed?" He addressed Calter directly and Calter blanched and his wings twitched.

"Yes, sir." Calter told him simply. "These are my friends, sir."

"And your donors?" Gerald asked.

"I've known them a long time, Sir. They don't mind." Calter glanced at Lucus who nodded his agreement easily.

"Very well." Gerald nodded. "You should not stop tonight, get to the safety of Mirkwood as soon as possible."

"Are things getting bad?" George asked.

"This is the first incident on this Highway but a few weeks back our southern waystation was slaughtered by Gondorian soldiers and over the last few weeks we've had several altercations on the Highways. We've already pulled patrols out of Rohan and the army is taking over the patrols on the other Highways near to Rohan." Gerald explained.

"Are you to continue east?" Heni asked.

"Yes, we will scout the area and warn you if we see anything." Gerald headed to a Morchaint horse without a rider as did one of the other Lamia. The other opened his wings and threw himself up into the air making Calter stare in wonder at the powerful strokes of his wings. His wings twitched with jealousy and he heard Lucus snigger beside him. Calter jabbed him with his elbow which just made Melenade, Oliver and even Dalamy laugh.

"Please, when you meet our forest patrols please inform them that we are approaching." Heni requested.

"Of course. Do you wish me to ask them to send you extra men?" Gerald offered.

"That won't be necessary but thank you." Heni nodded. "My King thanks you." Heni bowed slightly.

"You're always welcome." Gerald drew himself up proudly before his wings folded and vanished into his back. "In times such as these we must stick together, especially at the betrayal of our other allies." Gerald glanced at one of the others in his party and nodded. The man, or whatever he was, waved a hand and the group filed away down the Highway increasing their speed as they went. Calter heard Dalamy sigh out in relief and then Calter was being hugged from behind by Dalamy as his wings circled Calter and his three human friends.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That night**

After the events of the day all four of the younger party members were exhausted when they came to a well used camp ground. It had clearly been flattened like where they'd stayed the night before and was ringed by a high wall to keep out the wind although there wasn't much that night but the elves assured them that horrendous winds blew down the large valley right out of the northern mountain ranges and many a person had been caught out in the open during a storm and lost.

They lit a fire from the wood in a store set off to one side. According to Dalamy the Highway patrol stocked camps like this with wood for travellers too tired to forage for wood themselves. They cooked and ate well before the elves moved off to rest. Melenade slumped into sleep against her brother's side, lulled by the soft ground and gentle heat.

"What happened earlier?" Calter asked when nobody else seemed to want to bring it up.

"I take it you don't mean the obvious bits?" George asked.

"I mean the fire." Calter complained. George flashed him a smile and Calter calmed down instantly with a muttered apology.

"You know that some Lamia have abilities?" He asked.

"Oliver told us that it's supposed to be getting rarer." Lucus prompted.

"It is." George nodded. Dalamy gave a jaw-splitting yawn. "I've got first watch." George told them all.

"I'll stay up with you." Kentar nodded and Peter smiled and laid out on his bed roll. Dalamy yawned again and laid down putting his head in George's lap without asking. George flicked him on the ear but didn't make him move. He smiled when he saw the three younger ones staring. Calter smiled loving the way they tended to one another. It made him really believe that they'd always care for him too.

Oliver couldn't stop the yawn from escaping but it was clear he wanted to hear what was going to be said. Lucus moved though and lifted Melenade up and put her in her bedroll to sleep. Oliver leaned into Calter's side and Calter lifted his arm and gently guided Oliver's head down to sit in his lap. Oliver looked up at him with a smile before turning his attention back on George even as Calter brushed his hands through Oliver's hair noting how tired and dirty it was getting without a proper bath. He imagined they were all looking rather scruffy right now.

"It's true that the powers are fading." George nodded. "Wings still show the power in someone but it doesn't always relate to how strong they are in general terms. A white winged being can easily beat a darker winged being. The colour just shows the power behind the abilities and age darkens wings regardless. One of the Nuuruhuine had white wings which are more of a grey colour now as he aged."

"Now?" Lucus asked quickly.

"Well the last time we saw them." George shrugged.

"When was that?" Calter asked. He knew that only Harry and Alex were his family, if that was even true, but he felt connected to the Nuuruhuine even though he knew all the others were too. Being related to the Nuuruhuine didn't really make you anybody special.

"Around six hundred years ago." George told them.

"I thought they disappeared before that?" Oliver frowned and Calter stroked the back of his ear without really thinking about it.

"They did but they didn't sleep until then." George explained. "They hid away and lived lives for themselves."

"Where?" Oliver asked.

"In a massive manor built into the side of the Grey Mountains." He explained. "Just them and a few younger Vampires."

"Like the four of you?" Lucus guessed.

"Yeah." George nodded. "We went a little mad when Harry and Alex finally told us they were leaving us."

"You miss them." Calter frowned.

"Yeah." George nodded. "Our parents all died before we even got our wings and they took us in as if we were theirs."

"Then you really are Calter's Uncles." Lucus laughed.

"We like to think so." George nodded.

"You really do look a little like him." Kentar spoke up.

"But we were talking about powers." George nodded. "The important thing is that powers have never meant that somebody was stronger in our society. Age is what's respected so it doesn't matter to our race that fewer and fewer Lamia are showing signs of power."

"Do you know why?" Oliver asked.

"There are a few theories." Kentar shrugged. "But no. Nobody really knows. Well maybe Harry might."

"Why would he?" Calter asked.

"Harry's powers really are strong." Kentar sighed. "Perhaps too strong. It's one of the reasons he is a fan of sleeping like he does. Power corrupts he says, even if you have the best of intentions. He might know more about how all our abilities work and know why they're failing."

"What's the theories?" Lucus asked.

"The most popular one is that more and more Lamia are marrying and having children with humans." George explained.

"Half Lamia, half human?" Lucus asked.

"No, full Lamia." George shook his head. "They are exactly the same as Lamia. The Lamia biology rewrites the human one. You keep the traits of the human parent but all of the Lamia physical attributes."

"But perhaps not all of the abilities." Lucas guessed.

"Exactly." George nodded. "Or at least that's the theory."

Calter smiled down when he realised that poor Oliver had failed to stay awake with Calter's fingers carding through his hair. He really did love the boy but he really didn't know what as. He just needed Oliver right now, like he needed Melenade and Lucus.

"So you can all do something?" Lucus asked after he smiled at Calter caring for their wayward Princeling.

"We can control the four main elements." George nodded. "Part of our link."

"Fire, water, air and earth." Kentar nodded before suddenly grinning. "Though we really do forget which of us control which."

"And obviously our cat forms too." George added in. "What we did earlier was a distraction and we're all quite weak because we haven't had fresh blood in a while. We're quite a bit more powerful than most Lamia in this day and age."

"Do _I_ have an ability?" Calter asked nervously.

"We haven't seen anything yet." George shrugged. "But every one of your ancestors descended from Harry and Alex have had powers."

"Do I have humans in my line?" Calter asked suddenly.

"Quite a few." Kentar shrugged. "Not sure exactly how many. I know your mother's father was human. Gondorian. That's why they went to Gondor with you."

Calter frowned down, not at Oliver but just so he wasn't frowning at anyone. He didn't want to know that story. "Can you help Calter find his ability?" Lucus asked.

"It'll come to his defence if it can." George shrugged. "Don't feel you have to rush it. Some Lamia take decades to discover their abilities."

"I just..." Calter frowned.

"Want to be able to protect them?" Kentar asked before standing up smoothly. Calter nodded up at him as the larger man circled the fire and knelt behind him and kissed him softly on the side of the head. "Don't rush to grow up, Calter. Not when we're here to look after you."

"You boys need to get to sleep." George leaned back against the wall behind him and Dalamy shifted to curl up against him.

Calter glanced at Lucus who nodded agreement and helped pull Oliver back enough for Calter to help him into the bed roll. They'd set it up so all four of them could share and Melenade was tucked between them and the wall. Lucus laid down next to her and Calter settled a waking Oliver against Lucus' side before shedding his shirt and carefully slipping into the bed roll and opening his right wing out between them all and the upper side of the bedroll. Oliver muttered happily and turned to burying himself into Calter's chest as Calter hugged both Oliver and Lucus.

He leaned down and kissed Oliver on the lips before sharing a longer kiss with Lucus who eventually pulled back and took to stroking Calter's wing to send him off to sleep.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	6. Mirkwood

Tuureamindo

A/N; A little shorter than before and more of a relationship builder chapter than an action one but I promise more action in coming chapters as things start to kick off. This is posted ahead of schedule to give you all something for Christmas. I had hoped to post the next chapter of Outsiders but it's not going to be ready in time because I've misplaced the DVDs I need to refresh myself on the episodes in question so I thought I'd post this instead.

**Warnings; **This chapter contains a few scenes of **Slash** but nothing too explicit. Basically more of the same as last chapter. They are not marked because I don't believe they are explicit enough and can easily be skipped if necessary.

Merry Christmas and please enjoy.

Chapter 6; Mirkwood

**Three days later**

Even after reaching the safety of Mirkwood forest they still had to travel for several days to reach the Elvin capital but the way was fast going with the highway cutting through the trees though the highway seemed to pass through without breaking the canopy of the trees even though you could march ten across down the paving stones. They turned off of the main highway onto a smaller, Elvin built, road to reach the city itself and without warning they walked into the city four days after being attacked on the highway.

The city was amazing in its complexity. Nothing was as bulky as in the human realms and everything seemed to flow into everything else. Massive stone fortresses curved around the natural beauty of the forest and seemed to be growing along with the trees. Bridges criss-crossed rivers and streams and pathways flowed seamlessly between gardens and buildings. There was no perimeter wall but the edge of the city held the impression of a defensive fortress all the same with overlooking buildings that would be impossible to attack head on.

The group walked through the city for hours, being watched by everyone they passed. With all of their different types of clothing it was clearly odd for the denizens of Mirkwood. Plus they were being escorted by Elvin warriors. It was mid afternoon when they finally reached an awe-inspiring sight. The Palace of Legolas, King of the Elves of Middle-Earth was a structure that put everything that Calter had ever seen to shame. It had no perimeter wall just like every other dwelling they had passed but seemed to be ringed by waterways and gardens that almost seemed to be defensive. They were led across the ornate bridges and along walkways through beautifully tended natural beauty and finally into spacious halls filled with colour and sunshine.

Eventually they were led into an audience hall and their escort fell off to the side. George, Dalamy, Peter and Kentar flanked Oliver, Melenade, Lucus and Calter but knelt before the tall figure at the head of the hall. He had long silver-blond hair to his waist and fine clothing that almost seemed as ethereal as he was. The woman standing at his side was just as delicate looking as he seemed but the Elvin man seemed to have a power to his presence.

"Hello again, boys." The Elvin King greeted with an amused twitch of his lips. "What have you gotten us all into this time?"

"Don't know what you mean, your Majesty." Kentar tried which got a smile from the King.

"If I started listing what I mean nobody would end up eating tonight." The King laughed before looking down at his four younger guests. He took a few steps forwards to stand at the same level as them but still had a foot and a half on Calter who was far taller than Oliver and Melenade. "Perhaps introductions are in order? I am Legolas, King of the Elves of Middle-Earth and this is my wife Andreya. Welcome to Mirkwood."

"This is Calter and Lucus." Peter moved to stand behind the two and rested a hand on each of their shoulders. Legolas' eyes bored into Calter's for a long moment and Calter found himself wanting to step away except Peter's hold on his shoulder stopped him. "They are the two that the Gondorians are trying to accuse of murdering their King."

"And these two?" Legolas prompted. "They are too familiar in feature for me to not know who they are. I see no reason not to speak of their presence here."

"We bow to your wisdom." Peter nodded.

"Let it be known to all then." Legolas raised his voice. "Mirkwood's arms currently protect the Prince and Princess of Gondor. Princess Melenade Telcontar and the Heir to Gondor, Prince Oliver Telcontar. Welcome to my home. May it be yours also."

It seemed the Elves in the room were able to restrain their words until their King had finished talking but after that they couldn't hold in the gasps of astonishment and the hall was quickly filled with talking.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Later**

Calter was led onto a balcony high up in the palace by an Elf with the demeanour of a very proud servant and the only reason he wasn't nervous was that Kentar was right behind him. They'd been given leave to wash and dress in fresh clothes that Legolas had sent to their rooms. Morchaint clothing for the most part since Elvin clothing looked strange on any other but Elves. Calter kind of liked the way the new clothes fitted on his frame and around his wings. Legolas had requested that Calter come to speak to him as soon as he was ready and that was why they now stood waiting for the ancient King to turn to address them.

The sun was just above the horizon and it lit the top of Mirkwood like a golden fire and the Elvin King looked far more than just a being of substance. "I know who you are, Calter." Legolas finally spoke and turned to face Calter. Kentar moved away a little but didn't pretend to move out of earshot.

"I don't..." Calter started.

"I know you are the final descendent of Harry and Alex Corvil." Legolas smiled.

"You knew them too?" Calter asked, the newly familiar yearning grew once again inside him. The yearning to know everything he could about his ancestors.

"I knew them very well." Legolas nodded.

"Do you know where they are?" Calter asked quietly.

"I do not." Legolas shook his head. "I know of none that they told of their final resting place."

"Final?" Calter gasped.

"I do not know that either." Legolas shook his head. "All I know is that nobody has heard from them in a very long time."

"Will they come if we need them?" Calter asked. "If _I_ need them?"

"Who's to know if they are aware of the turmoil that grows across this realm?" Legolas asked. "If those of us that use this world to survive cannot protect it from war then why should they?"

"There has to be a reason I'm here, right?" Calter tried. "Aren't I meant to be here for some reason?"

"Why _are _you here?" Legolas asked with a small smile. "I will tell you why. Because my scouting party found you and brought you here. The actions of such beings as us does not always lead to destiny."

"I'm here because people keep dying when they shouldn't be." Calter almost snapped before looking away from the King so he didn't lose his temper. He stared at the glowing sun and the way it shimmered in its last moments of life that day almost as if it was fighting to remain. He looked back at Legolas and the sky turned purple, red and orange in preparation for dusk. "Why did the scouting party bring me here then?"

"You are a member of the Morchaint Council even if not many know it." Legolas sighed. "I had to get you safely away from the humans. In time this may blow over."

"What might?" Kentar moved closer as he frowned over at Legolas.

"The Gondorians have focused all of their anger on a single Lamia child." Legolas sighed. "I cannot and will not placate them by giving them what they want and my allies do not have that option without him in their possession. It is my hope that should we protect and return to them their rightful heir that they will accept Prince Oliver's return and this war may be stopped before it really starts."

"You've thought long on this." Kentar accused.

"Do you disagree?" Legolas frowned. "Do you have another plan in mind? A solution?"

Kentar shook his head gently and moved behind Calter in support. Calter felt something painful twist in his gut about staying here while Oliver and Melenade went back to their home. "I will send messengers out in the morning saying that Oliver and Melenade were picked up on the borders of Mirkwood by a scouting party and I will send an escort with them when they return home. They will leave in a few weeks time once they have better recovered from their journey so far."

"I'm not sure I like this." Kentar frowned. "But you're probably right. Better that then risk full out war."

Calter sagged and let Kentar guide him from the room and only once outside did he wrap his wings around himself and let Kentar hold him. "I don't want Oli and Mel to go alone."

"Go alone or go without you?" Kentar asked softly but Calter couldn't answer him. "It is time you rest, Calter. You will need to feed tomorrow morning when you wake. Do you wish for one of us to monitor you?"

Calter turned to look up at him but shook his head. "I know I can control it with Oliver and Lucus."

"I have complete confidence in you." Kentar smiled and leaned down to kiss him on the forehead before sending him off to the room he was sharing with Oliver and Lucus.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next morning**

Calter was up an hour before either of the two human boys and sleeping in a bed alone when he was so used to using the body heat of the others made him feel rather small and insignificant, even with his expanse of flame-red feathers across his back. He pulled Elvin sleeping wear over his bottom half before slipping out into the slowly rising sun. It barely warmed his skin and he sighed out in disappointment. He raised his hand in front of his face and eyed the paleness of his skin. He needed to feed but he didn't want to wake Lucus up from his first chance to sleep for a decent length of time without danger around.

He leaned his forearms against the railing and looked down across the Elvin forest at the slowly rising sun. It just wasn't bright enough to warm him and Calter was about to turn to head back inside when the warmth finally reached him. He turned back and let his wings open wide to catch the warm rays of the newly yellow sun. They twitched as his mind turned to what was going to happen in a few weeks. Oliver and Melenade would be taken away from him. They'd be out in the world without Calter to protect them.

Calter suddenly scoffed at himself. Why should they need his protection? He was just a child Lamia who could barely glide and whose fighting skills were rudimentary at best. Oliver was the rightful King of one of the largest countries of Middle-Earth. He commanded armies. He didn't need Calter.

Calter hung his head at the realisation of what was twisting his gut. Oliver and Melenade didn't need him. _He_ needed _them_. Calter looked up as a shiver went through him. The sun's rays had shifted again, he could barely feel them now and the shiver went right through him.

A scent caught his nose and he turned suddenly to see Oliver standing in the balcony doorway watching him. He was wearing the same sleep bottoms as Calter was but had a blanket around his shoulders. "I know we're a long way north but does it have to be so cold?" Oliver whined playfully. Calter was in front of him in a blur of motion that made Oliver rock backwards in surprise but Calter caught his shoulders under his cold hands to support him before pulling him close to his chest and wrapping his wings around them both.

"You just missed the sun." Calter told him gently. "It's pretty chilly."

"Says the guy with wings!" Oliver complained. "Your own personal blanket."

"Yours too." Calter whispered in way of a promise but then he remembered that in two weeks Oliver wouldn't be with him and clearly Oliver recognised the tightening of Calter's arms around him for some kind of insecurity.

"What's wrong?" Oliver asked.

"King Legolas has decided that the best way to prevent war is for you to return to your people. He's sent word that you and Melenade are under his protection until you recover from your trip." Calter sighed. "He's going to send an escort to take you to Rohan or Gondor in a couple of weeks."

"That's good right?" Oliver prompted with a frown. Calter deflated and dropped his head down onto Oliver's shoulder. "Except you don't want to let me out of your sight." Calter's head snapped back up and his fangs flashed at the idea.

"It feels wrong!" Calter complained. "I'm supposed to..."

"Supposed to what?" Oliver pressed.

"I know you've got this big army to protect you and everything and I know I'm just a kid Lamia that can't even fly yet but it's my job to protect you." Calter complained. "I know it is! I'm supposed to be with you!"

"Shh..." Oliver soothed, rubbing his hands up the joints on Calter's wings making them flicker and shift against them both at the attention. Calter found himself calming down almost instantly.

"I don't want to lose you." Calter whispered. "I feel sick just thinking about it."

They stood together in silence for a time before Oliver looked back up at him. "You're colder than normal."

"It's the first day when I should think about feeding." Calter told him. "Kentar told me to feed this morning."

"From me or Lucus?" Oliver asked.

"It's Lucus' time. I drunk from you eight days ago." Calter shook his head.

"You'd better go feed now then. Knowing this sort of place as I do it won't be long before they'll expect us." Oliver told him. "And you're probably going to both want to bathe afterwards." Oliver smirked up at him. "You want me to leave and give you some privacy."

"I don't mind you staying." Calter told him. "You'd better ask Lucus though."

"Let's go wake him up." Oliver smiled and led Calter inside by the hand just as if he was leading a hungry man to food. Which he was.

Calter pulled off his sleep wear, leaving him in underwear and slipped into the bed next to Lucus. He stroked Lucus' cheek and blue eyes fluttered open to look at him. It was a little awkward but Calter could hold him while lying on his side if he left his right wing stretched out behind him. Oliver sat on the bottom of the bed.

"I need to feed this morning." Calter told him before leaning in to kiss him on the lips just like they'd done three days ago under the shadow of his wings. Lucus responded eagerly and when Calter pulled back he rolled his neck and tucked his head comfortable to the side to expose the right side of his neck. "You mind Oliver staying here?" Calter checked.

Lucus raised his head and smiled as he spotted Oliver. He reached out a hand and with some shuffling Oliver sat against the headboard just behind Lucus with the older human boy's head on his lap. Calter shifted closer and his left wing shrouded all three of them from view. He kissed just under Lucus' ear before working his way down before settling a soft, lingering kiss right on the opposite position to where he'd taken from before. His fangs brushed once on Lucus' skin and he felt Lucus respond to the sensation. The human hardening against where Calter's leg rested.

He opened his mouth and gently bit down through the skin and into the vein in Lucus' neck. Instantly blood filled the sensory buds inside his fangs and he felt heat flood his body. He shifted to pin Lucus to the bed before he could stop himself and his own arousal met Lucus'. His hands came down and pushed their underwear aside, uncaring about Oliver watching all of this.

Lucus moaned and his hands gripped onto Calter's naked hips and he grinded up into him. Smaller hands settled on his wings, stroking them and thus Calter was constantly aware of Oliver's presence in this but his body focused mainly on the body under him. The blood under his tongue and the warmth of the flesh melded against his own. He knew that with anyone other than Oliver and Lucus, and probably Melenade, he'd have trouble focusing on his control but everything that brought him pleasure and relief in this task was tied to the fact it was Lucus he was feeding from. It was made all the greater because it was Lucus and there was no way he'd choose this sensation over Lucus' safety.

He took what he needed before shifting to drink only the smallest of traces, just enough to draw pleasure out of Lucus as he rocked his hips against Lucus properly. Shifting his movements from gaining pleasure while feeding to trying to bring them both off. He felt Lucus' hand tighten on his hips and felt the blood quicken in his throat. He could hear and feel Lucus' heart pumping faster and he felt the tremors wrack his frame as he flowed over the edge. Calter wasn't long in following Lucus over the edge and the two laid still for a moment before Calter closed his mouth and kissed over the small wound until it stopped bleeding.

He heard movement just to the side and lifted his head slowly to look at Oliver watching them lie together in their aftermath. His own aroused scent and the rapid beating of his heart was as obvious to Calter as the sight of his manhood in his hand. Calter stretched his wings and shifted over Lucus and Oliver to lay on Oliver's other side. He pulled him down onto the bed and Lucus soon worked out what he was doing because his own hand met Calter's as the older boys replaced Oliver's hand with their own joined ones. Oliver groaned as the two boys latched onto the sides of his neck, the reminder of the pleasure of having Calter drink from him eight days past arousing the boy even more.

Oliver was so close it didn't take him long to spill his seed up his own body and Calter shifted to lie on top of both of the humans and spread his wings to hide them from the rest of the world while they recovered.

It was a while before Calter came out of his haze enough to realise that Oliver was silently crying and he shifted to hold him tighter even as Lucus realised and did the same. "What's the matter?" Lucus asked the younger human.

"I have to go to my people, Calter." Oliver explained, ignoring the fact Lucus didn't know what he was talking about. "If I can prevent a war then I have to do that at least. But you can't come with me. I _want_ you to but they'll kill you on sight. You say you have to protect me, that you need to protect me. Well I have to protect you too. I can't let you come with me if it risks you getting hurt."

Oliver trailed off as Calter kissed him gently on the lips. "This won't be goodbye." Calter promised him as he pulled back a little. "Never goodbye."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Later that day**

"Duck!" Dalamy called suddenly. Calter ducked expecting a sword swipe at his head only to have to leap backwards clumsily as Dalamy jabbed at his stomach.

"Hey!" Calter complained. "You told me to duck!"

"Since when is it a good idea to do what your enemy tells you to do?" George laughed.

"Since he was supposed to be teaching me!" Calter complained rubbing his arm where Dalamy had hit him with his sword much earlier in the several hour long session.

"Well..." Dalamy grinned, his fangs showing. "Lesson learned I'd say."

Calter licked his lips, feeling the energy in him from Lucus that morning and glanced over at his friend. Oliver was missing as well as Melenade as they were off with King Legolas writing letters to send back to Gondor to prove that they were alive. He turned back to Dalamy as he caught the flash of movement and he ducked a real swipe at his head but forgot about the tips of his wings. Without the ability to put them away and not knowing how to use them in a fight he needed to remember where they were so they weren't injured. Dalamy stopped his strike in midair with a pivot of his own body so as not to actually harm Calter.

"Never forget your wings, Calter." He pointed out simply. Calter bit his lip as he stepped back, the flash of memory overwhelming him for a moment. Of Ben telling him almost the exact same thing months ago. "Calter?" Dalamy spotted the sudden change of mood and stepped closer. "What is it?"

Calter sighed and looked down at the sword in his hand. He didn't have anything left on him that Ben, Guy or the others had given him and he found that rather sad. "Calter?" George prompted. "What is it?"

"It's just my mentors in Gondor." Calter looked up at Dalamy eventually. "The Lamia in the Gondorian army that took me in. The Gondorians killed most of them without even trying to find out what really happened. Only Ben and Guy got away but then Lucus and me were captured and I don't know what happened to them."

Calter turned away from the others and shut his eyes. He felt a chill as the sun presumably went behind a cloud but he didn't bother looking up to see where the cloud had come from. "I've barely thought about them." Calter whispered. "I was too caught up in myself."

"Thinking about yourself isn't a bad thing." Dalamy told him. "And you were looking after Lucus, Oliver and Melenade as well."

"What if they were caught trying to come back for me?" Calter asked. "They might be dead."

"_They are very much alive."_ The deep voice vibrated through his head and he gasped. His sword sunk into the ground a few inches as he dropped it in favour of bringing his hands up to his head.

"Calter?" Dalamy gasped and his hands found Calter's quickly.

"Granddad?" Calter whispered.

"_You've never called me that."_ Harry whispered back to him. _"It's rather nice."_

"You can hear Harry?" Dalamy asked.

"_Tell them 'hush, children'." _Harry suggested.

"Hush, children." Calter looked up at Dalamy's shocked expression but it didn't take long before George and Dalamy both chuckled and backed up. Lucus slipped closer and Calter wrapped him up against his front inside his wings. "Granddad, what did you mean? Are they alright?"

"_They were with Annette Daroden in Edoc'sil. They left south with a party of Morchaint humans to attempt to aid in your escape." _Harry explained. _"They were told from a party of travelling traders that you had escaped. The traders were those that the young Princeling advised to leave while they could."_

"Where are they now?"Calter demanded.

"_They convinced the Evetoral Guard to search east of the mountains."_ Harry told him.

"How do you know that?" Calter whispered. "They're just two Lamia. Can you sense them somehow?"

"_Normally I would not be able to see them."_ Harry informed him. _"However their only purpose and intention right now is to locate you and that intention draws me to them."_

"Can you talk to them? Tell them I'm safe and where I am?" Calter begged.

"_And how would they accept that, my little Grandson?"_ Harry laughed warmly. _"However even if they accepted voices within their minds I have not met them. I cannot enter the minds of ones that I do not know well."_

"But me...?" Calter whispered.

"_You are my grandson."_ Harry whispered lovingly.

"Will I see them again?" Calter asked. "I owe them so much."

"_As do I, Ietittar."_ Harry told him. _"And as for seeing them again they are determined to continue to protect you. I am sure that they will catch up to you eventually."_

"And Oliver and Melenade?" Calter begged. "Them too?"

"_I cannot see the future, Grandson."_ Harry sighed. _"But you care too much for them and they for you for this to be the last time your paths shall meet."_

"Will you be able to watch over them when they leave without me?" Calter rubbed his face on Lucus' shoulder to get rid of the tears that sprung up.

"_I am the first that was bound to the Telcontar family, to Aragorn's son." _Harry pointed out. _"I share the concern for their wellbeing that you do."_ There was a pause then and Calter waited him out. _"I cannot however search out their minds like I can you or those that concern themselves greatly about you. I will do what I can to keep them safe anyway but my powers are not limitless."_

"Can you tell me how to use my powers?" Calter suddenly realised. "Do you know what they are?"

"_I do not know what ability you have although I can tell you that you have already used it. The ability courses through your body even now." _Harry's voice sounded like it was filled with pride and Calter smiled. _"Yes, I am proud of you, Ietittar. But I would be just as proud of you whether you had found your abilities or not. I must leave you now. Enjoy what time you have left with Oliver and Melenade and do not waste it fearing the future. Be the little one you are meant to be while you can."_

"Love you, Granddad." Calter suddenly had a thought. "Can you tell Granddad... Granddad Alex I love him too."

"_I will tell him."_ Calter smiled at the promise. _"We love you too, grandson."_

Calter's wings opened as he felt the connection fade once more even though he hadn't really felt it's presence before. He let Lucas hold him up for a moment before starting to try to explain what he'd been told to Lucas, George and Dalamy.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week later**

"You do realise the bath in our quarters is really nice right?" Oliver lifted his chin pompously.

"I'm so sorry, my little Princeling." Calter grinned a smile full of fangs.

"I am _not_ your Princeling!" Oliver gasped.

Lucus sidled closer to the younger human. "You kind of are, you know?" Lucus teased poking the boy in the side.

"It's just a little cold, Oli." Calter assured him.

"Says the guy that could sit in a blizzard without getting cold." Oliver complained but he pulled off his shirt as Calter and Lucus began to strip. Melenade was having lunch with Queen Andreya so the boys had taken the opportunity to get out into the forest and had found a small river tributary that was deserted so they could bathe after running around together and enjoying what time remained to them. They weren't far from the city but the elves had assured them that few ventured that way when there were bathing areas freely available throughout the city.

Calter dropped backwards into the water and let it close over his face for a moment before he came up. The water was quite deep right at the bank and it came up to his lower ribs. Lucus was sitting on the edge of the bank as Oliver grudgingly stripped the last of his clothing and just as Oliver was preparing to slide down carefully into the water Lucus rolled his eyes.

"Your Highness?" Lucus asked. Oliver turned to look at Lucus with a frown only for his expression to morph to shock as Lucus shoved him off the bank of the river and into the cold water. Calter shifted even as Oliver's head came clear of the surface and wrapped him up in his arms, giving him some of his heat. Oliver glared across at Lucus who slipped down into the water.

"At least you're in now." Calter told Oliver warmly.

"Not talking to you." Oliver told Lucus with chattering teeth. Lucus gave him a lopsided smile before ducking forwards to hug the younger human. Oliver, however, raised his hands to stop. "Nope!"

"Aww! Come on!" Lucus pouted. "It's cold."

"You deserve it." Oliver stuck his tongue out, getting a chuckle out of Calter.

"Are you taking his side?" Lucus mock gasped. "After everything? All those years together. Growing up in the orphanage. Only the two of us. You're taking _his_ side?"

"He _is_ cute." Calter grinned at Lucus who stared at him in surprise.

"Git." Lucus grumbled before rubbing his arms. "Please?" He looked to Oliver who laughed and opened his arms. Lucus ducked forwards, sharing Oliver's body heat until he was used to the water temperature.

"Going to miss you both." Oliver told them. "Even the teasing."

"Has anyone _ever_ made fun of you before?" Lucus asked pulling back a little.

Oliver snorted. "Except for Mel who would possibly consider making fun of the Heir to Gondor?"

"You've grown up a lot in the last few months." Calter whispered. "We all have."

"You know I was wondering what would have happened if none of this had happened." Oliver frowned, his expression clear in his voice. "I mean if whoever attacked us hadn't existed."

"We would have met eventually." Calter told him. "The Scouts always spent a lot of time around your family. I'm sure with my age being so similar to yours we would have spoken."

"Dad wanted to make you my personal bodyguard." Oliver finally spoke up. "After you got your wings you were supposed to start guarding me."

"You never told me that." Calter leaned around to kiss Oliver on the cheek. "At least we would have had the chance to know each other."

"Would you have felt that urge to protect each other?" Lucus asked.

"I suppose I would have." Calter nodded. "It would have been my job and I think I would have felt what I do now. But Oliver might..."

"I think I would have." Oliver interrupted before Calter could finish speaking for him. "It might not have been as fast as what happened but I think eventually I would have started to worry about you and I think I would have felt it."

"Maybe Calter would have introduced you one day, Luc." Oliver smiled at the other human.

"Oh yeah, a weapon forger's apprentice with no family." Lucus laughed. "You might have let me hold the door open for you."

"Luc..." Oliver frowned. "I was never like that. Please don't ever think I'd treat you that way!"

Lucus smiled and rested his head on Oliver's shoulder. "I'll miss you, kid."

"Calter..." Oliver tilted his head against Lucus' to bare the other side of his neck. "Today right?"

"Now?" Calter checked.

"Why not?" Oliver asked.

"I can't stop you getting aroused yet." Calter pointed out.

"Lucus won't complain." Oliver chuckled.

"Alright, my little Princeling." Calter laughed.

"Don't call me..." Oliver started before groaning as Calter bit into his neck gently and started drawing out blood. He instantly felt the effect on himself and Oliver. Oliver warmed up and he could smell his arousal as easily as he could feel his own pressed into Oliver. Oliver held onto Lucus as Calter slowly drank from him. It was strange at this angle and it took Calter a conscious effort to make sure his fangs didn't pull at an angle that would hurt Oliver but it seemed Oliver definitely wasn't in any pain. He rocked against Lucus until he climaxed and Calter and Lucus weren't far behind. Calter pulled back and held Oliver up against him.

It could have been five minutes before Calter pulled his head up sharply in surprise. "What is it, Cal?" Lucus asked. Calter was surprised for a moment that the two humans weren't shivering but the sunlight was at just the right angle above them to bathe all three of them in warmer rays than he'd expected.

"Wings, moving fast." Calter whispered. "Whoever it is was in a hurry. He's landed right in the palace."

"Not Kentar, George, Dalamy or Peter?" Lucus checked.

"No." Calter shook his head. "Well, I don't think so."

"You recognise the sounds they make when they're flying?" Oliver asked in surprise.

Calter blushed furiously but Lucus was the one to speak. "Haven't you noticed how much time he spends staring at the four of them whenever they fly?"

"Shut up." Calter blushed again before letting his wings open wide. He slipped away from the others and with a massive down beat jumped up onto the top of the bank. He stretched his wings proudly knowing that for a moment then he'd technically been flying rather than just jumping or gliding. He never knew flying could be so technical, so much theory to learn before he could really get a handle on it.

"A hand?" Lucus asked before boosting Oliver up out of the water. Calter caught him effortlessly and put him on the ground next to him before reaching down to haul Lucus out. "All muscle now, aren't you?"

"Shut up." Calter blushed once more. "I want to find out what's happening."

"Calter." Kentar's voice made all three jump and Oliver gasped and hid behind Lucus. "Hurry up and dress. You need to hear this."

"Kentar?" Calter frowned even as he rushed to pull up his trousers and let Kentar tie up his shirt around his wings. Lucus and Oliver were both ready to go by the time Calter was finished.

"Prince Oliver?" Kentar asked but Calter saw the older Lamia glance at Oliver's neck where a small trace of blood still lingered on his skin. Calter blurred and put the boy's head between his hands and gently kissed the side of his neck just over his slowly healing wound. He lapped up any trace of the blood before pulling back.

"Sorry. I was a messy eater." Calter whispered to him making the boy laugh in amusement and hug him quickly.

Calter, Oliver and Lucus followed Kentar through to the Palace and arrived in time to see a Lamia with brown wings being led out by one of the Palace guards, presumably to rest before he returned. What Calter realised straight off was that this soldier wasn't like the Lamia of the Highway Patrol with their leather armour but somebody in the full army. A member of Middle-Earth's greatest military force.

In the room were what was obviously King Legolas' military commanders standing around a laid out map of Middle-Earth. Calter gasped in shock as he got close enough to look down at the layout. Massive armies were arrayed but Calter really didn't know enough about geography to know what he was looking at. By Oliver's gasp though it was really bad. Oliver flinched and moved into Calter's side and Calter's right wing moved to lay against the younger boy's back.

"Prince Oliver." Legolas greeted though he looked worried. "You leave within the hour."

"What?" Calter gasped, a spasm of pain lancing through his chest at the thought.

"Calter..." Legolas told him sharply and Calter sighed. Legolas kept reminding Calter just how little he was in this new world. Perhaps he was Harry's descendent but he was still just a little boy. "The messenger that just arrived came from the Morchaint First Army. They are currently eighty leagues south of Edoc'sil and readying themselves to march into Rohan as a pre-emptive strike against the Gondorian Army amassing on the Rohan-Gondor border."

"What of Rohan?" Oliver asked.

"They have not yet officially taken a side but the Morchaint army..." Legolas sighed and moved one of the pieces across the map.

"The Morchaint army will not permit the Gondorian army to cross onto their lands. They will march into Rohan and confront the Gondorians either on Rohirrim soil or Gondorian." Kentar explained. "They are acting fast though."

"What do you mean?" Oliver turned to Kentar. "That represents almost fifteen thousand men."

"Exactly." Legolas nodded. "Against eighteen thousand soldiers of the Gondorian military and possibly six thousand Rohirrim."

"They go to war outnumbered?" Oliver gasped. "But why?"

"To prevent the Gondorians from crossing into Morchaint's Protectorate States and then onto Morchaint Soil." Legolas shook his head. "But they are not outmatched. It will be a bloody battle, for both sides. The worst battle seen since the Battle of Gondor in the War of the One Ring."

"Can we stop it?" Oliver straightened up.

"Hence why you ride within the hour." Legolas nodded. "Only you can stand before your army and turn their anger away from Morchaint before Morchaint strikes the first blow."

"Why can't I go with them?" Calter asked.

"Because their anger is directed primarily at you." Legolas told him, not for the first time. "They will strike you down if they can and Morchaint will not stand for that. Your presence is adding fuel to the fires of this war. You being there will merely escalate what has already gone too far."

"What of the Elvin army?" Kentar asked softly.

"We stand neutral." Legolas stated before looking down at the map.

"You must be the peacekeepers." Oliver whispered and nodded.

"For all the good it will do." Legolas nodded. "I'm sending a small detachment to escort you to Rohan and from there to your army."

"Where I will tell them to stand down and return home and this will all be over and done with." Oliver turned to look at Calter.

"Go and get your sister ready to leave." Legolas announced. "A messenger will let you know when the horses and supplies are ready to leave."

Oliver led Calter and the silent Lucus out of the room and up to their rooms and then the younger boy slipped out to check on his sister. Calter sagged onto his bed as soon as Oliver was out of the room and Lucus knelt in front of him and grabbed his head between his hands, fisting his hair and shaking him just a little. Calter stared at Lucus' silent comfort. "I'll miss them too." Lucus whispered.

"I just feel like something bad is going to happen if I let him out of my sight." Calter shuddered.

"He'll have Elves with him to protect him." Lucus tried to soothe him just as Oliver came back into the room. Calter didn't know what came over him but his wings were moving and he was blurring across the room and grabbing Oliver and pulling him against his front, wrapping his wings around him.

"Don't want me to leave then?" Oliver chuckled.

"Don't laugh at me." Calter groaned. "Please don't laugh at me."

"I know..." Oliver trailed off and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. "I wish you were coming with us but I have my duty to do. I have to stop this bloodshed."

Calter pulled back and dropped his head. "I just don't like sitting around here waiting while you go off facing danger. I'm supposed to be Harry Corvil's last descendent but I'm completely worthless!"

A darkness shadowed the room and all three of them glanced out of the suddenly darkened sky. There must be rain clouds coming. Calter sighed and turned back to Oliver just in time for Oliver to hit him in the chest with a clenched fist. "Don't you ever say that again!" Oliver told him sternly. "You're not worthless. You've saved all three of us several times. We'd never have gotten this far without you."

"Without a Lamia maybe." Calter argued.

"It's not your Lamia abilities that protect us." Lucus spoke up from where he'd been putting some of Oliver's clothing together on his bed. "It's your heart. The way you care and worry about us all the time. That's what has kept us alive so long."

"He's right." Oliver smiled.

"Don't tell him that." Calter chuckled. "He'll never stop if you do."

A pillow hit the back of his head and his wings flared in response as he turned and stared at Lucus in shock. Lucus grinned and Calter tackled him, picking him up and nipping at his neck playfully. Lucus giggled and hugged his head to him before stroking his wing joints. Calter let him pet his wings for a few seconds before starting to tickle his best friend and brother who squeaked and tried to escape.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	7. Ambush

Tuureamindo

A/N; Nothing really to say about this chapter except that it's the last of the story that I wrote before I started posting it and I hope you enjoy it. I'm hoping updates will pick up in frequency in the coming months.

Warnings; This story is **SLASH **but there's nothing too obvious in this chapter.

Chapter 7; Ambush

**Three days later – The Angle**

Annette stood in the hastily erected guard tower on the front edge of the Morchaint army and looked down over the vista. The western tributary of the river ran against their left flank down towards its eastern twin, joining together before reaching down across the grassy planes to the Gondorian Army and their Rohirrim Allies. Trollshaw stood in the distance to the north and the abandoned city of Rivendell harboured the majority of their supply column although they had travelled light and quickly to get out of Morchaint territories, including the Shire and the Freeman towns south of Edoc'sil to cut the Gondorian army off before it could reach their lands.

The Regent had only needed to confirm the Military Council's orders and their army had left fast out of Edoc'sil and Domia. Annette had invited herself on the march to try to see sense in all of this but everything they were doing was in reaction. The Gondorians had slaughtered their own Lamia soldiers for a crime they might have committed but had no motive to carry out. They'd had no trial and no chance to even prepare for their fate. Granted that wasn't reason to uproot the Morchaint Armies like this but to hunt for a child Lamia across such distance had enraged the general population so they'd made threats and ordered the Rohirrim to hand them over.

Then the Rohirrim had refused and sided with the Gondorians and the Morchaint people had demanded something be done. The final straw had been finding out that the Lamia child had escaped the Rohirrim before their own troops could reach them and they'd heard that the Gondorian Army was crossing Rohan to reach the western lands and marching on Morchaint territory.

Their army had been mobilizing within the hour and now almost forty thousand humans, vampire and Lamia stood poised to destroy each other. Annette knew though that if their army was defeated that the Gondorian Army would move north through the towns and cities of the country-less cities such as Bree that made up what was commonly known as the Morchaint Protectorates and they'd slaughter any Vampire or Lamia found there, adults or children. The Morchaint Army slowly forming further north would slam down on them like the end of days and blood would flow freely right down through Rohan and Gondor just like millennia ago. Only the Nuuruhuine remembered those days.

"They advance with no parley." Cyrus pointed out as he eyed the closing lines.

She looked out over the advancing foot soldiers, their cavalry was hanging back but would surely join the charge and try to hit wherever they were weak. They'd take serious losses to reach them however. Annette just wished they'd been able to bring down their larger equipment in time because that could have ended the battle without loss of life. Assuming the humans across from them valued their own lives.

She glanced up at the sky at the wheeling Lamia and then across. They'd never gone against the Gondorians or Rohirrim in her own lifetime but she already noticed the loss to the Gondorians after killing all of their aerial scouts. They had a perfect view down over their battle whereas their own front lines and their strategic position hid their own lines from view.

"What can you hear from them?" Annette asked her advisor and friend, relying on his telepathy to give them an edge, particularly over surprises.

"Much noise." Cyrus winced. "I have not yet come across such numbers in my lifetime. I struggle to find one out of the many but I sense all of them before us. There is nothing hidden from us."

A horn blared from above them and Annette snapped her head to look out just as the Gondorian line surged into motion. Horns rang out below. "My Lady." A Vampire turned to her. "It's time for you to fall back to the other Generals."

Annette glanced at him with narrowed eyes. "I think not." She told him.

Horns blew staccato within their front ranks just as the Gondorians came into range. Arrows flooded the sky from within their lines and fell rapidly within the approaching human army. Their front lines solidified behind shields at the answering volley but some still fell. Annette snapped out a hand and plucked an arrow from the sky which had been heading into their watchtower and probably would have hit the Vampire that had cautioned her to retreat to a safer place.

Cries of alarm leapt up from their far right seconds before a massive clamour erupted. Before Annette could find out what the problem was a shockwave blasted through the watchtower, making it almost teeter over. Debris erupted from their right flank with a massive blast of noise and heat. Annette smelt blood, burnt flesh and most importantly burnt Naptha. A bomb. Body parts of hundreds fell down amongst them and the entire army faltered.

"Undead on the right flank!" Cyrus screamed over the noise. "Thousands of them!"

"Where'd they come from!?" Annette yelled as the army got back under control and reformed to fill their loss and control both armies.

"Old dead, Gondorian clothing." Cyrus frowned. "They wouldn't!"

Annette frowned as she watched the armies clash together on two fronts. The Gondorian left flank were falling back away from the Undead but the abominations weren't going after them. They were definitely only after the Morchaint army. There had always been rumours of Undead emerging here and there but always in the Eastern lands and the Morchaint and Gondorians Marshalls were quick to stamp it down. Had the Gondorians really resorted to finding Necromancers to give them this edge and in that case taken the time to plan this and lay traps for them at that?

"Cyrus, call this back to the baggage train and then back to Edoc'sil." Annette ordered her friend who nodded and moved so that she could protect him while his mind drifted off. He came back with a start only ten seconds later and turned even paler features on Annette. "They're gone. There isn't a single life in Rivendell!"

She stared in horror for just a moment. "Report this to Dras Arget and the Military Council!" She turned back to the battle for a moment before leaping off of the watchtower to head for the Generals. They needed to change their plans. The Gondorians had gotten the upper hand but they wouldn't win this fight.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Mirkwood**

"_Ietittar!"_ The voice sent him flying up in bed, his legs folding underneath him so he could move again. Every small movement of his body without any conscious thought of his own. He registered Lucus watching him from where he'd moved to sit against the headboard. _"Ride west, Ietittar." _Harry's voice, his ancestor's voice, thrummed through his mind, no longer as painful as it had once been before he'd gotten his wings.

"Granddad?" Calter gasped out.

"_Find your Uncles and ride after Oliver, to Rivendell. Don't waste any time. His life is already in grave danger."_ Calter leapt up to his feet and grabbed for his clothes and Lucus scrambled up to do the same. Calter raised a hand when Lucus questioned him about what was going on.

"Granddad? What's happened to Oliver?" He tried not to sound panicked.

"_They met up with the Morchaint Baggage Train in Rivendell but were ambushed."_ Harry told him as Calter rushed to dress, Lucus not needing to be told to do the same. _"Your Uncles will meet you with horses for you and Lucus. Don't delay."_

Then the presence was gone and Calter was rushing to get all their stuff packed and get out of the room. Lucus grabbed him in a hug before he could rush out though and held on when Calter struggled to get on their way. "You need to calm down for a moment or you'll get us caught." Lucus warned him. "Just focus, Cal. We'll get spotted if we just hurtle through the city."

Calter knew his best friend was talking sense and he drew in sharp breaths, trying to fight down the instinct to go to any length to protect Oliver and Melenade. He buried his face in Lucus' neck and drew in his scent. He was trying to tell himself it was his fault if they'd been killed or hurt because he shouldn't have let them out of his sight but he knew that he'd never have gotten away from the Elves and their escort would never have let them follow the two humans.

Eventually Calter led Lucus down through the wooden hallways and to the ground. They had a few close calls with sentries but they just headed away from the buildings knowing that Dalamy, George, Kentar and Peter would find them. He managed to be surprised when a white cat slipped out from behind a tree ahead of them. It glowed in the moonlight, broken up only by its black spots.

"Dalamy?" Calter checked rather needlessly and got a purr from the cat which led them out of the city. Calter heard nervous horses in the distance and realised the others would meet them there. There were four horses in all waiting in a clearing by the main highway that would take them west from Mirkwood and straight to Rivendell by the quickest and smoothest route. All four horses were loaded and Calter and Lucus quickly tied their own bags onto the saddles of two. The rest of the gear was for the Lamia and just as Calter was getting ready to get up onto one of the four Morchaint-raised horses he felt hands on his own and Peter was hugging him, regardless of the fact he was naked.

"We'll stay as cats unless we're needed to fight but this section is pretty safe." Peter paused. "Ignoring the normal trouble you seem to always come up with for us." Calter blushed before he could stop himself. "We'll just be following the highway all the way."

"Peter?" Calter begged. "Do you think Oli and Mel are okay?"

"Harry wouldn't send us running like this if they were dead." Peter told him. "Harry can't follow them personally though. We'll find them, don't worry about that."

"Thanks Peter." Calter whispered before jumping onto the saddle as Peter flowed back into his cat form. Calter checked the line leading to the second horse and then on Lucus who nodded to him in the dull light. They set off at a slow trot until they were comfortable and then pushed the horses to full speed along the smooth highway as the four cats darted through the trees on either side of them. Scouting far ahead for danger.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Fifty leagues west**

Oliver stumbled as his legs gave way but a firm hand caught his right shoulder to balance him. He knew better than to try to thank Heni and pushed forwards but he did look to his left to check on his sister. The newly rising light did show her appearance for the first time and she looked absolutely frightful. Blood was splashed across her hair, face and down her travelling clothes and since he'd been right next to her when it had happened he imagined he didn't look that much better but at least the blood was no longer warm.

They'd travelled fast on Elvin horses along the well paved roads, stopping only briefly out of necessity when they'd come across an east-bound Highway Patrol but as soon as they'd seen the letter Heni had been carrying from King Legolas telling anyone who read it who exactly Oliver and Melenade were they'd turned right around with them and escorted them all the way to Rivendell, sending one of their Lamia ahead to announce their approach. They'd arrived in Rivendell after only having to stop for one night and even with twenty Morchaint Highway Patrolmen including two Lamia, three Vampires and fifteen Humans along with Heni and five more elves he and Melenade still hadn't felt safe and they knew it was because Calter was now so far away from them.

They'd reached Rivendell late the next day and met up with the First Morchaint Army's supply train and almost five hundred soldiers who had given Oliver and Melenade a Royal welcome after discovering who they were. The Captain left in command had fed them and organised the resupply of their small group and arranged for a fifty strong escort from his own troops and ten Lamia to guard them on the way down to the First Army but warned that it was unlikely that Annette Daroden could hold off the battle that long.

Oliver had known the name from his own lessons in foreign diplomacy. She had been the leader of the Nuru Noste that had awakened the Nuuruhuine at the end of The Isolation of Morchaint and triggered the wrath of Harry Corvil who had killed his own descendent as punishment for his tyranny. She'd then become a spy for Harry Corvil in Rohan when the traitorous Wizard called Saruman had taken over King Theoden's mind. She was now one of the oldest beings alive in Middle-Earth and governed Edoc'sil and had done since before Harry Corvil disappeared. As such she was the face of Morchaint when it came to other countries since most trade went through Edoc'sil.

But it was perhaps an hour before dark when it happened. Out of nowhere and with no warning the camp had exploded into activity. The long-vacant ruins of the once great Elvin Palace had come alive with horrors the like that Oliver could never have imagined even in his nightmares. The Elves had leapt to protect Oliver and Melenade but it was as if every dark corner of the deserted palace was attacking them. Decaying monsters had been everywhere and the slaughter had begun. With no enemy front to turn into the Morchaint troops had been scrambling to organise and attempt to turn some kind of defensive front against their enemy but the undead monsters had overwhelmed them in minutes.

Oliver and Melenade had been together when a spear had impaled one of their Elvin guard right through the chest and they'd been hit by so much blood that Melenade had panicked. The Captain had rallied everyone he could reach to protect Oliver and Melenade and Oliver was in no doubt that scores of the Morchaint soldiers and three of their own Elvin escort had died to ensure that Oliver and Melenade got out of the Palace. Oliver had had to hack at a few half decayed creatures as they ran through the trees and he had wounds he knew would need tending to but they'd been running all through the night just to get clear of the trees around the foothills and Oliver and Melenade where almost dead on their feet.

Their horses were gone, half of their Elvin escort and any of the Morchaint soldiers that had perhaps followed them in retreat had either turned to buy Oliver and Melenade time to escape or been overwhelmed in the darkness of the woods.

It was almost midday before Heni allowed them to stop and even as Oliver and Melenade collapsed to the ground Heni's two remaining Elves headed out a little to scout the rocky area. They had no horses, no water and no supplies but as Oliver turned to look at the towering mountains behind them he realised just how lucky they were. The palace had been one big trap and he doubted many of the Morchaint soldiers were still alive and if they were it would take them days to fully regroup.

"Oli?" Melenade wrapped herself around his waist and Oliver could feel her shaking. "What were they?"

"I think they were undead, Mel." Oliver whispered quietly and, spotting the look from Heni, he knew that their Elvin escort agreed.

"I thought the Necromancers were all killed?" Melenade asked rather than declared. It was quite obvious that there were still some alive. The numerous half decayed and even skeletal monsters that had attacked them were evidence of that.

"Somebody has decided to turn the powers of necromancy against Morchaint." Heni told them. "But the question is who? It is a fact that the Gondorian Army has decided to invade Morchaint in retribution for the death of your father and your own assumed deaths but it is more of a stretch to believe that they have used Necromancy to gain an advantage."

"We'd never use Necromancy!" Oliver shook his head. "My father detested the stories of them. He used to say that he'd hunt any Necromancer to the corners of Middle-Earth. That it was the only thing that would unite the armies of all countries once more."

"Your father is no longer in command of the Gondorian Army. Your Generals are and do you know them well enough to be sure they have not delved into the blackest of arts?" Heni asked. Oliver was forced to shake his head. "Manuscripts and tomes teaching Necromantic rituals were found across the Eastern lands and still show up now, a thousand years after the defeat of Nacraemeus. The Morchaint Council requires all to be destroyed on sight but who is to say that people have not kept or copied such documents and instructions?"

"It all seems too planned." Oliver pointed out. "My father's death to incriminate the Lamia and Morchaint. Our own attempted murders to anger Gondor and then the deaths of the Highway Patrol to put the Morchaint Military in arms. I realise that Calter's presence antagonised things and made Morchaint more aggressive but the wheels were turning as soon as father was killed."

"You are right." Heni nodded.

"And now an undead army lying in ambush to anyone that stops in Rivendell?" Oliver sighed. "It's as if a third party is pushing for war."

"War between Gondor and Morchaint would benefit neither party and Rohan would surely be devastated." Heni shook his head. "If somebody is pushing for war they want to weaken both sides."

"But who would gain from that?" Oliver asked but just as Heni was about to answer, if he even had an answer, the two Elves that had been scouting rushed into their small group.

"Undead approach!" Sia warned sharply. "Fast."

"On your feet, Mel." Oliver declared and pulled her up.

Heni shared a look with the other two Elves and then glanced at Oliver with a calm look but Oliver could read those looks easily. They couldn't outrun them, the elves could but not with Oliver and Melenade, and they weren't going to last long fighting them. Heni, Sia and Vanna braced themselves and Oliver pulled his sword from his waist and pulled Melenade behind him. The Elves were going to fight for them even if it cost them their lives and if Melenade and Oliver were going to die here then Oliver would make sure he died before his sister did. Nothing was going to harm her while he was still drawing breath.

"Sorry, Calter." Oliver muttered to himself and he knew what sort of pain his new friend would be in when he found out that Oliver and Melenade were dead. The same sort of pain he knew he'd feel if Calter died.

Melenade clutched at the back of his shirt but drew her own sword. She knew there was no point trying to fight at her brother's side but she'd watch his back and try to slow the monsters down.

Figures emerged all around them from the rocks and Heni pushed them all back against a solid rock to try to make things easier for them but already a dozen were creeping towards them, surrounding them on three sides and with a twitch from Vanna up behind them Calter knew there were undead sneaking around behind them to drop on them from above.

"Identify yourself!" Heni demanded sharply and Calter followed his gaze up to a figure standing almost thirty yards from them with no less than eight undead around him, protecting him. It wasn't until Heni had shouted at him that Calter had realised he was a living being and not just another undead monster. But he should have known one Necromancer would be here to control them. He was wearing simple travelling clothes and had a sword at his waist but other than that he could have been a sword for hirer from any of the human countries. The only thing vaguely of note about him was the golden chain around his neck that tucked down through the buttons of his shirt.

The man made no response but muttered something they couldn't hear and together all but his personal guard lurched forwards at them. The Elves swung swords, abandoning their bows as useless against the undead, and heads rolled. Oliver pushed Melenade back against the rock as the undead rushed at them, using numbers to overwhelm them even as their elven friends slashed and hacked but headless bodies and severed arms still crept at them and Oliver kicked and shoved at them, batting aside aimless swipes as he tried to keep them away and let the elves face the more deadly opponents.

A body dropped right in front of him, knocking the sword right out of his hand and he stumbled backwards in shock and ducked a mad swipe at his head from the monster than had come from the rocky ledge behind them. Melenade scrambled to help but Oliver shoved her back against the rock and tried to kick the monster back away from him so he could retrieve his sword but his foot missed and he almost lost his balance.

A strange peal of a horn made him flinch and he heard Melenade gasp as their ears hurt. It was strong and nearby and it was a complicated and painful noise but it hurt his undead opponent far more than him. It dropped its sword and scratched at its ears and that gave Oliver the chance to grab his sword from the floor and take its head off. Which was when he realised that perhaps he shouldn't have. The monsters with heads were almost completely incapacitated but the ones without heads, or specifically ears, could blindly slash at them. His own opponent was half decayed and without its head or sword Oliver shoved and hacked at it, taking off its arms and kicking it over before lopping off one of its legs so it couldn't get back up.

He kicked the thing's head like a ball and turned to defend himself from the next one but their Elven friends had managed to make better use of the time and push them back and he risked a glance to check on his sister just before hoof beats exploded around them. Two shapes darkened the sky close overhead and Oliver looked around as men in black armour appeared all around them and drove the undead away. The two Lamia slammed down onto the ground thirty or so yards away and together with a few of the black-armoured men took apart the half dozen undead protecting the necromancer and as Oliver watched they turned to disarm the man only to stop short when a spear erupted from his chest and a skeletal monster from behind him appeared, after killing its own necromancer.

With the death of the necromancer the other undead lost all sense of direction and with the help of a score of Morchaint soldiers on horseback they destroyed the rest.

Calter leaned back against the rocky outcropping next to his sister under the guard of his elven friends but kept up his guard until the still-moving pieces of undead were piled together and set alight. They went up with a roar and he watched as the writhing mass of body parts finally stilled and began to turn to dust.

In the sudden quiet Melenade flinched away from him and went down to her knees. He followed her down in concern but merely held her loosely as she emptied her rather empty stomach onto the ground. He felt a little nauseous himself after seeing so many dead or dying bodies but he held it together.

When they were finally approached Heni warned him and he stood with his sister as five of the figures came up to them with friendly smiles but it was the two Lamia that instantly drew his attention. They weren't wearing the armour or uniform of Morchaint but Gondorian scout uniform.

The other three were human by the looks of things but they wore a stylised Morchaint uniform with gold insignias. He was drawn away from studying them when the two Lamia gasped and the expressions that passed over their faces were too many to keep up with. Confusion, elation, concern, pain and many more within seconds before they fell to their knees and bowed their heads. "Your highnesses." They greeted in unison.

"Highnesses?" One of the three humans asked and looked them over. "Guy? Ben? You mean this is the Prince and Princess?"

The two Lamia stayed on their knees but looked up but first one and then the other pulled in their wings and Oliver frowned, seeing them really for the first time. He'd seen Lamia around Minas Tirith all throughout his life and he knew these two by face if not by name. The Lamia scouts had always kept their wings hidden but he now had an appreciation of their true love for their wings from his time with Calter. Neither of them could want to hide their wings but it was like they didn't think they should have them out in front of Oliver and Melenade.

Heni glanced at Oliver who nodded to show he was happy to tell them the truth rather than try to hide in anonymity. The two Lamia, Guy and Ben, had been around the Citadel since years before Oliver had been born, he couldn't expect them to believe any lies about their identity.

"You are correct." Oliver nodded. "I am Prince Oliver Telcontar and this is my sister, Princess Melenade Telcontar."

"We didn't expect to run into you." The same human mused. "Looks like we've got good timing. Ben and Guy spotted the undead and realised they were hunting something. You're lucky they were here with us."

Oliver frowned at the still kneeling scouts and glanced at his sister. Oliver turned back and moved forwards towards them. They were his scouts, loyal to the end but betrayed by their own army just because they were Lamia. Oliver knelt in front of them with a sigh and had the attention of the three humans. The Lamia looked up at him in shock. "For what they did to you and the other scouts I should be the one kneeling and begging your forgiveness." Oliver told them before moving to stand slowly. When they didn't follow him up he reached and grabbed one by the arm. The bigger being rose quickly so he wasn't being tugged up and the other quickly followed. "You are Ben and Guy?" He asked.

"I'm Ben, your Highness." The one on the right declared. "This is Guy."

"Calter will be glad to know you are safe." Oliver smiled at them and watched as they both breathed in sharply and swallowed.

"He is safe?" Ben begged.

"He is in Mirkwood, with my King." Heni announced.

"So it's true? You travelled with him, your Highness?" Guy pleaded for more information.

"Have you water for my sister and I? For our Elven friends?" Oliver turned to the three men who seemed to come alive at the request. They bowed at him, granting him rather delayed respect though that didn't concern Oliver, and one passed him a flask of water that he handed straight to his sister. Heni, Vanna and Sia were given water and when Oliver turned back Ben offered him a water bag. He took it and moved to sit himself down against the rock.

"We should not remain long." The human man, their leader, announced. "The fire will attract attention."

Oliver nodded. They'd just rest a little while. He turned to Ben and Guy who seemed to be wanting to remain near him and his sister but unwilling to repeat their question or demand attention. "Our escort was attacked and Melenade and I escaped but took aid from the wrong traveller. Calter and Lucus rescued us when they fell for the slaver's tricks and together we travelled to Rohan and were apprehended at the Southern Waystation." The two nodded so they clearly knew about what had happened in Rohan. "I got help from a Vampire in Edoras to free them and together we travelled north, aiming for the Domia pass to reach Morchaint but Calter started getting weak."

"He had his change?" Guy gasped before hanging his head in apology for interrupting.

Oliver felt like he should reassure the Lamia that he didn't mind the interruption but thought telling him more would be best for now. "He did. During the change we were attacked by a Rohirrim patrol but the Elves saved us just after Calter changed."

Ben looked at Oliver before biting his lip gingerly. He clearly had a question on his mind but wasn't willing to ask. "Ask if you wish." Oliver prompted.

"His wings? What colour are they?" Ben asked.

"Why does it matter?" Oliver frowned. "Is it a status thing?"

"No, Sire!" Ben gasped in denial. "It's just we were supposed to be with him and seeing the wings of a newly awakened Lamia under our care… It would have been something to celebrate and the colour of our wings is something that is really important to us."

"Knowing how much Calter loves his wings I think I can understand that." Oliver smiled and they smiled back at him, finally relaxing a little. "He has red wings but not just red really. It's hard to describe. They are like something burning, like blood if it could burn. They scatter the sunlight as if the light itself was a living thing. I have seen Lamia wings before but never before have I found myself staring at any more than I have stared at Calter's. His wings are a colour richer than anything I have ever seen."

"So, Calter is with the Elves?" Guy asked. "Lucus too?"

"We travelled with Heni up to the Elven City." Oliver nodded. "When war started we had to leave Calter behind when we tried to reach the battle to turn my army back away from Morchaint."

"He must have fed by now." Guy looked concerned. "Who has he fed from?" Guy suddenly looked scared of the implications of that and ashamed to even be talking of feeding.

"He fed first from one of the Rohirrim scouts that attacked us." Oliver sighed and Guy and Ben looked as if they'd been struck but Oliver saw not disgust at Calter's actions but at how Oliver would view such an act. "Calter was not responsible for that man's death. He was newly awake and had never drunk blood before. His body demanded it and I don't think ill of him for it."

"Thank you, Sire." Ben bowed his head. "We should have been with him after he turned, to help him control it. We failed in that."

"Calter does not see it like that." Oliver shook his head. "And neither do I. You have hunted for Calter for weeks, trying to uphold your duty to him. As for feeding, Calter has been feeding from Lucus." They looked up at him at that. "And from myself."

They gasped and looked worried but frowned at Oliver's peace at the words he'd just spoken. "I trust Calter with my life. He's my friend and I could not be happier to be able to feed him. He's fed from me twice since awakening and it's not something I feel badly about. Calter needs blood to survive and I feel that it is an honour to give him what he needs."

Tears broke across Ben's eyes and he bowed his head again. "Thank you, Sire." Guy told him.

"Gondor has treated you badly." Oliver sighed and he stood, they needed to get moving again. "I consider your service to me complete but I _am_ in your debt, as is Gondor. You have the freedom to do as you will."

"We wish to find Calter." Guy told him

"As do I." Oliver nodded before turning to Heni and the human soldiers. "What do we know of this situation?"

"We were sent with Guy and Ben to Rohan when we received word of your arrival and the young Lamia's capture." The human stated. "Our orders were to free Calter depending on the situation but we received word from that Vampire that helped you, Leo, that he'd freed Calter and that you had joined him to travel north. So we followed."

"We received word that the Morchaint First was moving south to Rohan to face the Gondorians, begging my pardon your Highness." The man continued. "We decided that finding you and your sister might just avert war so we came north but we've been slowed along the way by Gondorian and Rohirrim patrols."

"What unit are you with?" Oliver frowned. "I was led to believe that Morchaint Patrols always had Lamia and Vampire members."

"We are the Evetoral Guard." The man declared. "Or at least one unit of it. I am Lieutenant Miles Tucker at your service, your Highness."

"Evetoral?" Oliver frowned.

"Elite human soldiers." Heni declared. "Trained to be the best of Morchaint's human ranks, on par with some of the best Vampire and Lamia fighters, disadvantaged only in their speed."

"But we know enough tricks to bring us up to par." Miles smirked. "We're what people like Annette Daroden send into the fray when they need something done but can't send Vampires and Lamia."

"You have been feeding Guy and Ben?" Oliver asked.

"Unlike the damn Gondorians, apologies your highness, we're not squeamish about lending them some of our blood." Miles laughed. "Not like my body can't make more of the stuff. What's been difficult with these two is getting them to ask for it before they really need to get the stuff but are too embarrassed to ask outright."

"That, Lieutenant, is the fault of my country and my people's unwarranted disgust at the notion." Oliver frowned and looked back at the two. "My time with Calter has proven one thing to me. You are no different to us. You just have different needs. Your hearts are just the same as mine." The two looked relieved to hear that.

"So I take it Rivendell is a no go then. You came from there?" Miles asked.

"We met the Morchaint First's supply train there but we were ambushed by undead just before sunset yesterday." Heni met Miles' gaze. "I expect that nobody survived that stayed."

"Well I can tell you one thing." Miles frowned. "They're short of Necromancer scum."

"Sorry, I don't understand." Oliver shook his head.

"That guy running these ones?" Miles prompted. "Wasn't their Necromancer."

"How do you know?" Oliver frowned.

"He is right." Heni nodded. "Although none of us are experts when you kill the Necromancer their creations die with them. That is well known."

"But these kept going after he was dead until they were burnt." Oliver realised. He felt a little daft actually, he knew the stories but it hadn't even occurred to him. "These followed his orders for some reason but he didn't power them."

"Exactly." Miles nodded. "As for moving I would say that west and south are out of the question."

"Shouldn't we still head for Rohan and try to avert war?" Oliver frowned.

"Your Highness, averting it is probably now out of the question." Miles sighed. "I imagine Morchaint, Gondor and Rohan met in battle late yesterday, around the time the supply train was ambushed in Rivendell and even if they didn't Morchaint will have to assume that Gondor has turned the undead on them to gain an advantage. If we're at war like I think we probably are going south is too dangerous. We must head north and get you safe."

"Or East to Mirkwood." Heni pointed out.

"Oli." Melenade caught his attention. "We should go find Calter and Lucus. It's not right to be without them."

"Adding Calter into the mix might not be a wise decision." Heni frowned. "He is best hidden in Mirkwood where he cannot antagonise the situation."

"Heading to Mirkwood might be too obvious." Miles frowned. "Whoever ambushed you in Rivendell will expect you to run to the nearest safe haven you have already been to. They'll hunt for you along the Eastern Highway."

"Oli…" Melenade stated more than asked and Oliver knew her thoughts on this.

"If there are Necromancers involved then we need more help." Oliver frowned before turning to Heni and then Miles and lastly to Guy and Ben. "I probably have no right to order you to do anything and Guy and Ben, I know I can order you but I don't feel right taking away your trust."

"Speak your mind, Prince Oliver." Heni nodded.

"I must head for Mirkwood and re-join with Calter." Oliver declared. "I know it was sound logic to leave him behind when there was only a possibility of war but now that war is upon us things have changed. I must head along the Eastern Highway and find Calter. I ask that you escort us." He turned to Guy and Ben. "My country… _our_ country betrayed you so I can't ask you to escort us and require you to obey but if you wish to find Calter…"

"You are our Prince." Guy told him. "You will one day be our King."

"We stand with you." Ben nodded. "We are yours."

"You are my personal guard." Oliver declared. "Take no orders from another if they prevent you from protecting my sister and I."

"Or Calter." Melenade spoke up. Oliver nodded to agree.

"I think the young Prince is decided." Miles nodded. "My men will escort you."

"My King's orders are to not allow you to return for Calter." Heni frowned and he was obviously warring with himself.

Oliver looked around but noted that only Heni, Miles, Guy and Ben were anywhere near him. "This can go no further than the four of you." Oliver declared. "Not to your men or any others." They frowned at him. "If Necromancers have returned and if Morchaint, Rohan and Gondor are to go to war against one another then we require help from a being actually capable of making a difference. Especially against Necromancers."

"You can't mean Calter." Ben frowned.

"Not Calter." He shook his head. "But he is with the Royal Guard." Miles gasped in shock making Guy and Ben frown at him in confusion.

"What have those four got to do with him?" Miles frowned. Heni had known who they were but hadn't really understood their interest. He was about to find out.

"What four?" Guy asked.

"Four Lamia called Dalamy, George, Kentar and Peter." Miles explained. "Born a thousand years ago and adopted by Duke Harry Corvil. They were charged with guarding his most treasured possession but nobody knows what that is."

"Right now Harry Corvil's most treasured possession is Calter." Oliver announced after steadying his breath.

"That's…" Mile had gone shockingly pale. "You mean an orphaned Lamia boy raised in Gondor is…"

"Is what?" Guy frowned with a glance at Ben.

"Calter is the direct descendant of Harry Corvil." Oliver announced. "Melenade and I, as descendants of King Aragorn are charged with the duty of protecting Calter and he is charged with the same. He has the means to get a message to Harry Corvil so we must reach him."

"You mean the Duke is still around?" Miles looked like he was about to collapse. Ben and Guy didn't look much better.

"I don't know what he might be aware of apart from Calter but he's been able to reach Calter's mind a dozen times while we travelled together." Calter turned to Ben and Guy. "It was Harry's words that made him demand you leave him behind in Minas Tirith and helped him to overcome the guards in the city's dungeons and escape. We need his aid right now and we need Calter."

"The descendent of Duke Corvil taking a stand in this war might make a major difference." Miles nodded. "I never dreamed that Duke Corvil was still around. I believed he'd gone west with the Elves or something."

"Then it is decided." Heni nodded. "We return to the Highway and at all costs we must reach Mirkwood and get word to Calter and hope that Duke Corvil has a solution."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Calter and Lucus had learnt to ride horses in Osgiliath. The local army units based in the small city had taken it upon themselves to do something good for the community and took all the children out riding in the plains around the city. The only problem was that they really hadn't had much experience in riding for hours on end. The longest that Calter had ever ridden was on the way from Osgiliath to Minas Tirith before he'd started his training. The scouts never used horses so that was the last time he'd been on a horse unless you counted the ride as a prisoner from the Southern Waystation to Edoras.

In comparison to the horses he'd ridden before the four they had now were completely different. They were more sure of themselves and perfectly happy around Calter. Still Calter and Lucus had almost had enough of being on horseback and were desperate for a rest but knowing the danger that Oliver and Melenade were in they both knew they had to bare it.

They'd ridden hard through the last day and into the night until they'd had to stop for a few hours so that they could rest the horses and Calter and Lucus could get a few hours of sleep as well. They'd left again at daybreak and returned to the Eastern Highway with the four cats ranged around them for safety and to warn them of anything coming in the opposite direction.

It was almost midday when a loud yowl of a cat came from far ahead of them and the two cats nearby, Peter and Dalamy, came closer and put themselves in front of them as Calter and Lucus slowed to a light trot. A few minutes` later George appeared from ahead of them and shared a growl with the others but it was clear that it had been Kentar, even further ahead that had spotted something. It was another three minutes before he appeared at a fast run and flowed back into humanoid form as soon as he'd slid to a stop next to Calter's horse. The horse, even used to Lamia, shied away from the shift in form even though it had gotten used to the cats lately.

Lucus and Calter weren't really bothered by Kentar's naked appearance and the other three cats shifted form as well when they noticed Kentar pulling out his full set of clothing and starting to dress. "Found them." Kentar grinned up at Calter who gasped and glanced at a relieved looking Lucus.

"Oliver and Melenade?" Calter checked.

"They're on foot with three Elves including Heni, a score of human Morchaint soldiers, Evetoral Guard by the look of them and a couple of Lamia." Kentar explained before turning his back on Calter and drawing out his wings. Calter helped him feed his cotton shirt around his wings and then helped him with his armoured vest. Lucus was helping George while Peter and Dalamy had already helped one another. Kentar and George jumped up onto the spare horses before nodding to Peter and Dalamy who unfolded their wings and leapt up into the sky with powerful beats of their wings.

Calter was eager to get moving again and Kentar kept to the front as Lucus and George stayed with Calter but they were moving fast again quickly. He knew exactly when the oncoming group spotted Peter and Dalamy because there was a quick peal of one of the Morchaint horns that had Lucus wincing in distaste. Kentar pulled his own out of a saddle bag and blew a return note which would draw the Evetoral Guards' attention back along the road and it was only a few minutes before they spotted the large group of people on foot waiting on the road. They'd obviously pulled to a stop to allow the oncoming group to get passed them and they'd probably assumed they were a patrol but by the formation they'd taken it was obvious they weren't taking any chances.

As Calter approached he spotted Oliver and Melenade in the middle of the group with two Lamia and three Elves flanking them and then a score of human soldiers wearing black all around them. He focused on Oliver and Melenade's rather poor appearance before he was drawn to the two Lamia. He gasped as he recognised them and they recognised him in turn and flinched forwards.

"Lieutenant!" Oliver called as he grinned at Calter. "They're friends."

"How fortuitous." One of the humans nodded looking over the two Lamia just before Peter and Dalamy glided down and landed on either side of Calter and Lucus.

Calter scrambled off of his horse and in seconds found himself being latched onto by Melenade. She buried her head in his chest and he wrapped his arms around her and then his wings followed, surrounding her in the warmth his wings represented. "Hey, Mel." He muttered and heard Lucus moving up beside him. He opened his wings carefully so they didn't hit his best friend and then folded them behind him so he could see where Oliver was hugging his human friend gently.

"It's good to see you well, Prince Oliver." Lucus told him formally before Oliver and Melenade swapped and Calter found his arms around Oliver once more. Calter found himself growling without warning and his fangs were itching even though he'd fed from Oliver only days ago.

"Calm yourself, Calter." George muttered and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Calter, what's wrong?" Oliver asked as he pulled away from him with a concerned frown. "You don't need to feed do you?"

"You're one of his permanent donors." George informed the four of them quietly. "But you've got the scent of a half dozen different people's blood on you. It pulls at our protective instincts."

Calter nodded and reached up to pull at a piece of clumped hair on Oliver's head where blood and grime had matted it together. "You really need a good bath." Calter told him before letting him go. Calter turned to the two Lamia watching him with emotion clear on their faces. He moved closer to them before grinning and shifting quickly and hugging Guy tightly. He buried his head in Guy's neck and drew in his scent as his wings shifted against his back. Guy's wings unfurled from his back and wrapped around him, unable to resist showing themselves with Calter's wings so obvious.

"You've grown." Guy laughed as he held Calter tightly.

"It's been months." Calter laughed back but he realised as he held Guy that he'd gained a half foot in the last few months since he could tuck his head against his neck and relax. Eventually Guy let him go and Calter turned to Ben and gave him exactly the same embrace.

Ben said nothing until Calter turned back and they both studied his wings. "They are beautiful, Calter." Ben told him softly. "Just like we all knew they would be."

"You knew what they'd look like?" Calter asked in confusion.

Ben and Guy smiled but shook their heads. "But they suit you." Guy told him.

Calter looked around and noticed the humans all around. He greeted Heni and the other Elves with a smile while the humans obviously set about making a fire and setting up somewhere to take a break.

"We're sorry we left you, Calter." Ben told him.

"I told you to." Calter smiled at them. "And I was right."

"Oliver told us…" Guy paused as he glanced around. Nobody else was within earshot. Lucus, Oliver and Melenade were with Peter and Dalamy getting water together to heat on the fire so that Oliver and Melenade could wash as much as possible. George and Kentar had vanished but a glance up into the air found them wheeling around far above, obviously keeping watch.

"What?" Calter prompted before carefully sitting on a boulder by the side of the road. Guy and Ben pulled in their wings to sit comfortably on either side of him.

"That you've been hearing Duke Corvil's voice in your head." Guy whispered. "Are you really his descendent?"

"That's what the voice tells me." Calter nodded. "And Melenade thinks it's the truth."

"So Melenade does have a gift?" Ben asked before continuing when Calter looked at him with a frown. "We're old enough to have known the King's sister before she and the King's wife were killed in that landslide. She had a gift too. All of the females in their family have some sort of gift."

"Melenade dreams about the truth." Calter looked down at his lap for a moment. "She sees the truth about a situation by dreaming about it."

"Interesting." Guy mused before turning his attention to Peter and Dalamy. "Are they really the Royal Guard?"

"That's Peter and Dalamy." Calter nodded. "And George and Kentar are up there."

"How did they find you?" Ben asked with a frown, clearly not trusting them.

"Harry says that because they share a mental link and he knew them so well, raised them, that he can communicate with them from wherever he's sleeping." Calter explained. "So he told them where to find me. I suppose they're like my Uncles."

"Do you realise how old they are?" Ben asked.

"About a thousand." Calter nodded. "They were born during the isolation."

"Calter." Guy sighed. "I'm only eighty, Ben's seventy-two. Those four are so old and powerful Ben and I wouldn't stand a chance against them. We can't…"

"You can't what?" Calter frowned before his eyes widened and he leaned sideways into Ben. "You can't protect me from them. But you don't need to worry about that. I trust them. They want to protect me. They say I'm like family to them."

The two sat in silence for a while more before Guy sighed loudly. "You've been through a lot, kid." Guy chuckled. "And you've grown up since we first saw you that evening in the barracks."

"I haven't really had much of a choice." Calter laughed.

"Have you been alright feeding?" Ben asked.

"Oliver and Lucus have been donating for me. Alternating every week." Calter nodded. "Well until Oliver left but I fed from him less than a week ago. I'll feed from Lucus in a few days."

"And the reactions?" Ben asked quieter than before.

"Still working on that." Calter blushed a little. "Peter, Dalamy, George and Kentar have been letting me feed from them once in a while to try to work on it but until I have it under control I don't want to feed from Melenade and embarrass her."

"We know the feeling." Ben butted up against his shoulder. "It does get easier to control."

"How would I have learnt it in Gondor?" Calter asked curiously.

"We would have got you to feed a few days before your change since it helps you through it." Guy explained. "And then you would have fed from us until you could control the reaction."

"And what about human blood?" Calter frowned.

"From a canteen until you could control the reaction." Guy sighed. "That was the law."

"But Peter told me that's not good for somebody who's just gone through the change." Calter frowned.

"We all got quite weak for the first few months after our changes." Guy nodded. "But there weren't any other options for us."

"I'm lucky I have Oliver and Lucus." Calter nodded in realisation.

"I never thought the Prince would have offered to donate for a Lamia." Guy whispered looking across the camp to the fire where Lucus and Oliver were shoving each other playfully. "I've never seen him act this way before."

"Nobody ever really let him get to know one of us." Calter told them. "Oliver said they planned to make me his personal bodyguard so maybe he would have learned the truth regardless. But I trust him and he's a good Prince. When he reclaims his throne he'll change things."

"A little too late." Ben sighed. Calter nodded miserably.

"Are Duke Corvil and these four going to let us stick around?" Guy asked him after a few long moments.

"Harry says he owes you a debt." Calter nodded. "You've been trying to protect me all this time and he knows it."

"We have a duty to you and we care about you." Ben told him. "And we have a duty to the Prince and Princess too that we refuse to just put aside regardless of what has happened. He's made us his personal guard and we'll honour that and since you're probably planning to not leave his side again we can protect you and Lucus too."

"He's got somebody else's blood all over him." Calter growled. "I'm not letting him out of my sight ever again!"

Ben and Guy laughed and Calter stretched and stood up so he could go make sure that Oliver and Melenade got rid of all the grime and blood on them. He wanted to be able to smell their scents like they should be.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**End Chapter**


End file.
